Nucleation and Inhibition Control during the Hydrothermal-Electrochemical Growth of Barium Titanate Films

• Published in: Journal of the American Ceramic Society Vol. 83; no. 11; pp. 2673 - 2676
• Main Authors: Escobar, Iván S., Silva, Carmen I., Vargas, Tomás, Fuenzalida, Víctor M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Westerville, Ohio American Ceramics Society 01.11.2000; Blackwell; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: barium titanate; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electrodeposition, electroplating; Exact sciences and technology; Liquid phase epitaxy; deposition from liquid phases (melts, solutions, and surface layers on liquids); Materials science; Methods of deposition of films and coatings; film growth and epitaxy; nucleation; Physics; Structure and morphology; thickness; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties); Thin film structure and morphology; Grain size; Inorganic compounds; Films; Process control; Titanates; Barium titanates; XRD; Experimental study; Photoelectron spectroscopy; Hydrothermal synthesis; Crystal growth from solutions; Electrodeposition; Crystal nucleation; X radiation; Fabrication structure relation; SEM; Microstructure
• ISSN: 0002-7820; 1551-2916
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1151-2916.2000.tb01613.x

The control of the microstructure of BaTiO3 films grown on titanium by the hydrothermal–electrochemical method was investigated. Experiments were conducted in a three‐electrode high‐pressure electrochemical cell in a 0.1M Ba(OH)2 electrolyte at 150°C. Results showed that the spontaneous initial nucleation linked to pure hydrothermal BaTiO3 formation can be inhibited by cathodically protecting the titanium electrode from the moment it is immersed in the electrolyte. The application of initial nucleation pulses of varying cathodic potentials affected the grain size of the deposit. It is suggested that the formation of a titanium oxide layer is a necessary step previous to the nucleation of BaTiO3.