Phase character and structural anomaly of Bi4Ti3O12 nanoparticles prepared by chemical coprecipitation

Nanoparticles of Bi4Ti3O12 have been prepared by chemical coprecipitation. The phase structure was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and refined using the Rietveld method. Orthorhombic Bi4Ti3O12 particles were obtained after heating at 700 and 800 °C; however, for the particles calcined at 500–650 °C, the results suggested the presence of a high-temperature tetragonal phase at room temperature. This structural anomaly was further confirmed by differential thermal analysis (DTA). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]