Improvement of ferroelectric properties via Zr doping in barium titanate nanoparticles

Barium titanate is still the prototype of a piezoelectric crystalline material that has attracted many researchers and industrial partners to use. A modified citrate method was used to create barium titanate nanoparticles BaTi1-xZrxO3. The samples were crystallized in a single-phase tetragonal structure, as revealed using X-ray powder diffraction. The crystallite size decreases with increasing Zr concentration. Fourier-transform infrared spectra showed the main absorption bands of the samples BaTi1-xZrxO3. Field emission scanning electron microscopy micrographs illustrate that the doped sample BaTi0.9Zr0.1O3 is more porous and finer than the parent. For low Zr doping concentrations (x = 0.1), the ferroelectric properties of barium titanate are improved. The conduction mechanisms in the samples are small polaron hopping and correlated barrier hopping. The Zr/Ti ratio is a crucial parameter for tailoring the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition.

Automated summary

Barium titanate is a widely used piezoelectric crystalline material, and this study focuses on creating barium titanate nanoparticles using a modified citrate method. The size and properties of the nanoparticles were analyzed, and it was found that the addition of Zr improved the ferroelectric properties and decreased the size of the crystallites. The conduction mechanisms were identified as small polaron hopping and correlated barrier hopping. The Zr/Ti ratio was found to be crucial for controlling the ferroelectric-paraelectric phase transition.