Preparation of BST Powders and Ceramics via a Hybrid Method

Barium strontium titanate (Ba0.8Sr0.2TiO3; BST) ceramics, were prepared by the hybrid method between Solid-state reaction (SSR) and Sol-gel methods (SG) in a ratio of 1:0.1-1:0.5. The BST powder was successfully calcined at 850 degrees C for 2 h. This temperature is much lower than the calcination temperatures of the SSR method. The BST ceramics were sintered between 1150 and 1450 degrees C. All samples showed the pure perovskite structure corresponding to JCPDS no. 34-0411. The optimum sintering temperature was observed from the samples sintered at 1450 degrees C for 4 h, indicating a density of 5.26 g/cm3, dielectric constant of 7018, and ferroelectric properties: (P max = 13.8 mu C/cm2, P r = 2.5 mu C/cm2 and E c = 2.3 kV/cm at 30 kV/cm).