Characterization and comparative study of synthetic and commercial barium titanate in electronic applications

This work reports the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured barium titanate (BT) powders prepared via mechanical alloying. The synthesized BT (SBT) was compared with commercial BT (CBT) to evaluate structural, thermal, and microstructural properties, as well as the effects of Nb and Nd doping. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of a pure cubic phase after ۱۵ h of milling, with an average crystallite size of ~۳۲ nm, demonstrating the nanoscale nature of the powders. STA results indicated thermal stability up to ۱۲۰۰ °C without phase transitions, while FT IR spectra revealed strong Ti–O absorption bands, confirming the integrity of the titanate framework. BET analysis showed slit shaped pores with low porosity, a specific surface area of ۴.۵۵ m²/g, and an average pore diameter of ۶۱.۸۳ nm. Doping studies revealed that Nb and Nd substitution for Ti led to peak shifts toward lower angles in XRD patterns, consistent with Bragg’s law and the larger ionic radii of Nb and Nd. Density and porosity measurements highlighted significant differences between CBT and SBT: CBT samples consistently exhibited higher densities, while SBT samples showed reduced densities and variable porosity trends upon doping. These findings demonstrate that mechanical alloying produces stable nanostructured BT powders with tunable properties, and that dopant incorporation strongly influences densification and porosity. The results provide valuable insights for tailoring BT ceramics in dielectric and functional applications.