Morphology-controlled Hydrothermal Synthesis of Bismuth Ferrite Using Various Alkaline Mineralizers

The present research reports fabrication of nanoand submicrometer-sized BiFeO3 (BFO) powders from bismuth nitrate and iron chloride by a simple hydrothermal method at 180°C for 16 h in the presence of various MOH mineralizers (M = K, Na and Li). The final products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and high-resolution transmission electron microscope (HR-TEM). Alkaline mineralizers introduced at suitable concentration have been found to play the key role in the formation of BFO crystallites with certain morphologies and sizes due to cationic radii of mineralizers during the hydrothermal process. A nucleation and crystal growth mechanisms are proposed for the formation of BFO crystallites in the size range of nano and submicrometer.