Single-component routes to perovskite phase mixed metal oxides

This paper reports that crystalline perovskite phase mixed metal oxides have been prepared at low temperatures from single-component mixed metal-organic precursors specifically designed for this purpose. Pyridine solutions of divalent metal α-hydroxycarboxylates of general empirical formula A(O2CMe2OH)2 where A = Pb, Ca, Sr, Ba: Me = methyl, react with metal alkoxide compounds such as B(OR')4, where B = Ti, Zr, Sn with the elimination of two equivalents of alcohol to form species with a fixed A:B stoichiometry of 1:1 according to the equation below. A(O2C(CMe2OH)2 + B(OR')4 > A(O2CCMe2O)2B(OR')2 + 2HOR'. Hydrolysis of these solutions with an excess of water results in homogeneous clear solutions from which white or pale yellow solids can be isolated, by evaporation of the volatile components in vacuo. Thermolysis at 350 degrees C in O2 resulted in formation of crystalline perovskite phase products for the representative examples PbTiO3, PbZrO3, BaTiO3 CaTiO3 and BaSnO3