Controllable preparation and formation mechanisms of BaTiO3/titanate nanocomposites from solvothermally synthesized K0.8Li0.27Ti1.73O4 crystal

Abstract The solvothermal reaction has become a versatile approach to achieve the morphology control of well-defined crystal nanostructures. It is meaningful to improve the titanate precursor by the solvothermal treatment to bring about the structural design of BaTiO3-based materials. In this study, a fiber K0.8Li0.27Ti1.73O4 (KTLO) crystal was prepared by the solvothermal treatment for the first time, and the H1.07Ti1.73O4 (HTO) crystal with a small size and uniform morphology could be transformed from the KTLO crystal. The mesocrystalline BaxSr1-xTiO3 (BST), the mesocrystalline BaTiO3/SrTiO3 (BT/ST) nanocomposite, and the BaTiO3/Bi4Ti3O12 nanocomposite were also prepared by a one- or two-step solvothermal process. A method for the controllable preparation of BST mesocrystals is disclosed. The scientific significances of solvent ratio regulation for obtaining different proportions in BT/titanate nanocomposites are clarified. The crystallographic topochemical relationships between the HTO matrix and the BT/titanate nanocomposite are summarized. This strategy is the development of the novel-prepared precursor for preparing functional materials and revealing of formation mechanisms from the precursor.