Materials Chemistry and Physics, Vol.70, No.1, 7-11, 2001
Molten salt synthesis of complex perovskite-related dielectric oxides
Perovskite related dielectric oxides of the formula Ba(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O-3, Ba(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O-3 and Ba(Zn1/3Ta2/3)O-3 have been synthesized by the NaCl-KCl molten salt (flux) method at low temperatures of 900 degreesC for 3 or 6 h. Sintering at 1000 degreesC retained the cubic structure. Sintering at 1300 degreesC generated minor amount (similar to 10%) of Ba5Nb4O15 in addition to the main cubic phase for the niobium compounds. The tantalum compounds, on the other hand, decomposed to Ba0.5TaO3, retaining a minor amount of the original cubic phase. Scanning electron micrographs show large grain size (upto 10 mum) in some of the samples obtained by the molten salt method.