Author(s)

Rashmi Rani^1,2,3, Seema Sharma¹, Marzia Quaglio², Radheshyam Rai⁴, Stefano Bianco³, Diego Pugliese³, Candido Fabrizio Pirri^2,3

¹Ferroelectric Research Laboratory, Department of Physics, A. N. College, Patna, India.
²Center for Space Human Robotics (CSHR), Instituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT), Torino, Italy.
³Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino, Torino, Italy.
⁴School of Physics and Materials Science, Shoolini University, Solan, India.

Sodium potassium niobate (KNN) (K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃) nanopowder with a mean particle size of about 20 - 30 nm was synthesized by wet chemical route using Nb₂O₅ as Nb source. A solution of K, Na and Nb cations was prepared, which resulted in a clear gel after the thermal treatment. Phase analysis, microstructure and morphology of the powder were determined by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). The obtained gel was first analyzed by Thermo Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and then calcined at different temperatures of 400℃, 500℃, 600℃ and 700℃. The X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) patterns of the synthesized samples confirmed the formation of the orthorhombic crystal phase of K_0.5Na_0.5NbO₃ at 500?C, a temperature significantly lower than that typically used in the conventional mixed oxide route. The process developed in this work is convenient to realize the mass production of KNN nanopowders at low cost and suitable for various industrial applications.

KNN Nano-Powder, Sol-Gel Method, Perovskite Phase, Low Temperature Sintering, Ceramic Processing

Rani, R. , Sharma, S. , Quaglio, M. , Rai, R. , Bianco, S. , Pugliese, D. and Pirri, C. (2017) A Novel Low Temperature Synthesis of KNN Nanoparticles by Facile Wet Chemical Method. Materials Sciences and Applications, 8, 247-257. doi: 10.4236/msa.2017.83017.