Raman Spectra of Bismuth Titanate Ceramics

Bismuth titanate is a typical layer-structured ferroelectric material and belongs to the Aurivilius type-structure compounds family. A bismuth titanate ceramic material could be obtained by mechanically activated synthesis after thermal treatment at a temperature slightly lower than in conventional solid-state reaction. In this case bismuth titanate was prepared through mechanochemical synthesis starting from bismuth oxide and titanium oxide in rutile form. The mixture of oxides was milled in a zirconium oxide jar in a planetary ball-mill in intervals from 1 to 12 hours. The ratio of powders to zirconium oxide balls during milling was 1:20. Bismuth titanate was formed after 1 h. The Raman spectroscopy analysis was performed.