Liquid-solid reaction synthesis of SrTiO3 submicron-sized particles

Research highlights: → Pure cubic phase SrTiO3 submicron-sized particles are synthesized at 600 deg. C. → The reactants are low melting point Sr(NO3)2 and high reactive TiO2 submicron powder. → This method is simple, low temperature, cost-effective and suitable for scale up. - Abstract: A low temperature (600 deg. C) liquid-solid reaction method was proposed for the synthesis of SrTiO3 submicron-sized particles from submicron-sized TiO2 powder and different amounts of excess Sr(NO3)2 (which has a melting point of about 570 deg. C)). The characterization results from X-ray diffraction and field emission scanning electron microscopy revealed that the resultant products were phase-pure perovskite structure SrTiO3 submicron-sized particles with diameters of about 30-108 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis disclosed that the resultant products had surface compositions slightly deviated from the stoichiometry of SrTiO3. UV-vis absorption spectra of the as-synthesized SrTiO3 submicron-sized particles showed a wide absorption peak centered at around 3.5 or 3.4 eV.