Fabrication of ferroelectric lead bismuth tantalate nanoparticles by colloid emulsion route

Ferroelectric lead bismuth tantalate (PbBi2Ta2O9 nanoparticles were success fully synthesised using a colloid-emulsion process. Monophasic PbBi2Ta2O9 w as obtained through calcining the precursor powder at 750 degreesC for 2 h. The precursor powders are soft agglomerates with nanosized primary particl es. After calcination at 750 degreesC, the average primary particle size is about 40 nm and the shape of the particle is near spherical. A rise in cal cination temperature results in an increase in the particle size as well as the crystallinity. The collid emulsion technique as developed was found to be superior to the conventional solid state method for preparing PbBi2Ta2O 9 powder with finer particles and a narrow size distribution.