Low temperature synthesis of ultrafine strontium titanate (SrTiO3) powders

Abstract

Ultrafine (≍0.4 μm) strontium titanate powder was synthesized using strontium nitrate and potassium titanyl oxalate as precursors. An aqueous (0.1 M) potassium titanyl oxalate solution was added dropwise to a (0.1 M) strontium nitrate solution with continuous stirring at room temperature to precipitate strontium titanyl oxalate (STO). The precipitate, after careful washing with distilled water several times, was air-dried and calcined at 550 °C/6 h to obtain homogeneous, spherical, stoichiometric powder of SrTiO3 ≍0.4 μm in size. The calcined powder was characterized using different techniques such as XRD, DTA/TG/DTG, SEM, and IR.