Ba _0.6 Sr _0.4 TiO ₃ – MgO Ceramic Powders with Uniform Microstructures Prepared by Aqueous Gelcasting‐Assisted Solid‐State Method

Abstract

A novel forming method–aqueous gelcasting was used to assist conventional solid‐state method to prepare 45 wt% Ba 0.6 Sr 0.4 TiO 3 –55 wt% MgO ( BSTM ) ceramic powders. For comparison purpose, conventional solid‐state method was also used to synthesize the same powders. It is found that the BSTM ceramic powders prepared by our method are more uniform with smaller and more sphere‐like particles than those prepared by the conventional method, whereas the phase compositions are completely the same no matter what powder preparation method is adopted. In addition, the BSTM green samples and ceramics from powders prepared by our method are more uniform than those from powders prepared by the conventional method. Moreover, it is found that using this novel method to prepare BSTM ceramic powders could not only improve the dielectric properties of the BSTM ceramics, but also decrease their sintering temperature. Aqueous gelcasting–assisted solid‐state method could be a novel promising method to prepare high performance ceramic powders in the future.