Preparation of translucent barium titanate ceramics from sol-gel-derived transparent monolithic gels

Translucent barium titanate (BaTiO3) ceramics with a relative sintered density of 85% have been successfully produced via a powderless sol-gel method, in which transparent, partially-crystallized BaTiO3 monolithic xerogels (dried gels) were prepared and submitted to sintering at 1100 degrees C in an oxygen atmosphere. The transparent BaTiO3 xerogels turned opaque upon sintering at temperatures in the range 600 to 1000 degrees C, but sintering at 1100 degrees C resulted in the formation of translucent bodies. Pore size distribution measurements demonstrate that most pores present in the translucent materials are open pores with a diameter of < 10 nm.