Barium titanate via thermal decomposition of Ba,Tiprecursor complexes: The nature of the intermediate phases

The thermal decomposition of Ba,Ti-precursor complexes, containing organic ligands and
suitable for the single-source preparation of nanocrystalline BaTiO3, leads firstly to the
segregation of specific Ba-rich and Ti-rich phases. Quantitative electron energy loss
spectroscopy and powder X-ray diffraction data indicated that the (i) Ba-rich phase is a BaOstabilised
variant of the calcite-type high-temperature modification of BaCO3 and (ii) Ti-rich
phases are represented by low crystalline barium titanates with the general Ba:Ti ratio close to
1:4. The subsequent solid state reaction between these phases results then in the formation of
BaTiO3.