Near-room-temperature fabrication of dense BaZrO3 ceramic via acid–base chemical densification

A novel process to fabricate dense ceramic bulk of BaZrO3 perovskite oxide without firing was established. Although, BaZrO3 conventionally requires a sintering temperature of 1600 °C for densification, a relative density of 90% can be obtained via an acid-base chemical densification (ABCD) at 150 °C. In this process, a dense ceramic bulk body is fabricated through the acid–base reaction between the precursor compact and alkaline solution at temperatures ranging from room temperature to 150 °C. ABCD can reduce the energy consumption and CO2 emission comparing to traditional sintering processes due to its low process temperature. The microstructure of BaZrO3 prepared by this process is unique, consisting of aligned nanocrystals, as indicated by transmission electron microscopy and electron backscattered diffraction analysis. This novel process is a promising technique for fabricating next-generation ceramic devices.