Use of SDS surfactant in the synthesis of highly dispersed BaTiO₃ powders

Abstract

The effects of addition of an anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) during precipitation of the molecular precursor, barium titanyl oxalate (BTO) in the preparation of BaTiO3 have been examined. BTO has been synthesized at room temperature using exchange reaction between barium nitrate (BN) and potassium titanyl oxalate (KTO) with various additions of SDS [viz. 0,2 and 20 ml of 1% (wt) soln.]. The resulting three BTO precipitates, after careful washing, are pyrolysed under controlled conditions (700oC, 5h in air). XRD and TEM techniques have been used to identify phase formation, morphology and degree of agglomeration. It is noticed that addition of SDS (20 ml) during synthesis of BTO helps in production of dispersed, spherical cubic barium titanate (BT) powders ( =25 nm) with surface area =123.5 m2/g.