THERMAL-DECOMPOSITION OF BARIUM-TITANATE PRECURSOR PREPARED BY A WET CHEMICAL METHOD

As a part of fundamental study on the kinetics of electroceramics proc essing by wet chemical methods, barium titanate precursor gel was prep ared using barium acetate and titanium tetra-isopropapoxide as startin g materials. Experimental results indicated that barium acetate was di stributed uniformly in the gel matrix formed by hydrolysis and polymer ization of titanium tetra-isopropoxide. In the subsequent calcination of the gel, rapid formation of barium titanate was observed above 823 K, which resulted from the reaction between titania and barium carbona te or barium oxide(s). The dynamics of barium titanate formation under different heat-up programs was successfully simulated based on a prop osed reaction model that incorporates a specified reactive portion of barium acetate in. the gel matrix.