Processing of nanoparticulate bismuth ferrite lead titanate (BFPT) through high-energy milling

An investigation into the processing of a bismuth ferrite lead titanate (BFPT) solid solution close to the morphotropic phase boundary through mechanical activation was undertaken. High-energy milling of constituent oxides was performed in a shaker mill, which resulted in size reduction of the particles to the nanoscale (40-600 nm). Subsequent calcination indicated a significant decrease in the temperature required for complete formation of the perovskite BFPT phase. It is concluded that the size reduction increases the particle surface area and reduces the diffusion paths for reaction sufficiently to result in a substantial decrease in the temperature required for perovskite formation. However perovskite phase formation as a result of mechanical activation alone was not observed.