Characterization of barium titanate powders: Barium carbonate identification

A range of methods for the detection of barium carbonate contaminant in bar ium titanate powder has been assessed, namely: X-ray diffraction (XRD), sca nning electron microscopy (SEM), with EDS-X-ray microanalysis, Fourier tran sform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), gas chromatography (GC) for analysis of carbon, and X-ray photoelectron spectro scopy (XPS). The most satisfactory procedure for the detection of the small amounts of BaCO3 commonly present is FT-IR. Surface analyses by XPS show t hat the carbonate is present as a discrete phase and is not a surface film on barium titanate particles.