Synthesis and Thermodynamic Stability of Ba2BBO6 and Ba3B*B2O9 Perovskites Using the Molten Salt Method

number of mixed perovskites of the types Ba2BʹBʹʹO6 (BaBʹ1/2Bʹʹ1/2O3) and Ba3B*Bʹʹ2O9 (BaB*1/3Bʹʹ2/3O3) where Bʹ=Gd, La, Nd, Sm, or Y; Bʹʹ=Nb and B*=Ca were synthesized by a conventional calcination process, as well as by the molten salt method. The former consists of calcining appropriate mixtures of oxide or carbonate precursors in air at elevated temperatures (~1250°C). The latter method consists of adding appropriate mixtures of oxide or carbonate precursors to a molten salt bath at relatively low temperatures (on the order of 300 to 500°C) so that the requisite compound is formed by dissolution–reprecipitation. X-ray diffraction confirmed the formation of a single-phase perovskite in each case with calcination at 1250°C. In a molten salt bath, however, all except Ba2LaNbO6 and Ba2NdNbO6 formed the perovskite structure. On the contrary, powders of Ba2LaNbO6 and Ba2NdNbO6 formed by a high-temperature calcination process readily decomposed when introduced into the molten salt bath. The formation of the requisite perovskite at a temperature as low as 350°C in a molten salt suggests that: (a) The perovskite is stable at 350°C. (b) The molten salt exhibits sufficient precursor solubility for the dissolution–reprecipitation process to occur in a reasonable time. Similarly, the decomposition of Ba2LaNbO6 and Ba2NdNbO6 in a molten salt bath shows that these materials are thermodynamically unstable at the temperature of the molten salt bath.