Atomic-scale surface structures and structural defects of hydrothermal batio3 nanoparticles revealed by HRTEM

We report on the effects of reactive conditions on the formation of BT nanoparticles via hydrothermal process with a focus on their atomic-scale surface microstructures and structural defects characterized by HRTEM. The results showed that large Ba/Ti molar ratios in the precursors could lead to large particles with a cubic morphology. Smaller particles with a weaker agglomeration behavior were observed in the products synthesized via solvothermal process using ethylene glycol (EG) as reaction medium, in comparison to using either pure water or water-EG mixed solution as reactive medium. A terrace-ledge-kink surface structure and structural defects such as anti-phase boundaries (APBs) and edge dislocations with Burger´s vector of or were observed at the edges of the 1/2_d100 or 1/2_d111 were observed at the edges of the nanoparticles. The {110} surfaces were found to be reconstructed and composed of the corners bound by the {100} mini-faces. APBs near the edges of BT nanoparticles were formed by the intersection of two crystalline parts with displacement deviation from each other by 1/2_d110.