Electrophoretic deposition of BaTiO3 thin films from stable colloidal aqueous solutions

Polycrystalline BaTiO3 (BTO) thin films were electrodeposited on titanium foils from colloidal aqueous solutions of BTO nanoparticles which were synthesized by a hydrothermal process, under autogenous conditions. Two kinds of reactants have been studied: one involves an aqueous solution of titanium tetrachloride and barium hydroxide octahydrate without any added solvent, whereas the second was obtained by dispersing amorphous titanium oxide in different volumes of barium hydroxide aqueous solutions. The nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The particle size distribution (PSD) and the zeta potential measurements indicate that the colloids in the solution are polydisperse when using the first synthesis method, and they tend to be quasi monodisperse in the case of the second synthesis route. A porous microstructure of the electrodeposited films was detected by SEM. Finally, the dielectric properties of the BTO thin films were investigated. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.