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Molten Salt Synthesis of Bismuth Ferrite Nano‐ and Microcrystals and their Structural Characterization
Author(s) -
Zhu Xinhua,
Zhou Jun,
Jiang Mengchao,
Xie Jun,
Liang Shuang,
Li Shuyi,
Liu Zidong,
Zhu Yingying,
Zhu Jianmin,
Liu Zhiguo
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of the american ceramic society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.9
H-Index - 196
eISSN - 1551-2916
pISSN - 0002-7820
DOI - 10.1111/jace.12897
Subject(s) - ostwald ripening , molten salt , calcination , pulmonary surfactant , materials science , particle size , bismuth ferrite , chemical engineering , bismuth , phase (matter) , salt (chemistry) , sintering , ferrite (magnet) , metallurgy , chemistry , nanotechnology , organic chemistry , composite material , multiferroics , dielectric , optoelectronics , engineering , ferroelectricity , catalysis
Bismuth ferrite nano‐ and microcrystals were prepared by a facile molten salt technique in two kinds of molten‐salt‐based systems ( NaCl – KCl and NaCl – Na 2 SO 4 ). In the NaCl – KCl salt system, a systematic study indicating the effects of process parameters (e.g., calcination temperature, holding time as well as the molten salt ratios) on the bismuth ferrite formation mechanism and structural characteristics is reported. The results show that almost pure phase BiFeO 3 powders with minimum impurity phase of Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 were synthesized at temperatures of 700°C–800°C, whereas high calcination temperature (e.g., 900°C) resulted in the formation of almost pure phase Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 powders. The prolonged holding time increased the particle size via the Ostwald ripening mechanism; however, there was little effect on the particle morphology. Similar phenomenon occurred as increasing the molten salt ratios. In the NaCl – Na 2 SO 4 salt systems, it is found that low NP ‐9 (nonylphenyl ether, NP ‐9) surfactant content (0–5 mL) led to the formation of almost pure phase BiFeO 3 powders, whereas high NP ‐9 surfactant content (e.g., 20 mL) resulted in pure phase Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 powders. The average particle size of the BiFeO 3 powders was decreased as increasing the NP ‐9 surfactant content, whereas their morphologies did not change significantly. Because of the simplicity and versatility of the approach used, it is expected that this methodology can be generalized to the large‐scale preparation of other important transitional metal oxides with controllable sizes and shapes.