Template-free fabrication of pure single-crystalline BaTiO3 nano-wires by molten salt synthesis technique

Large amounts of BaTiO3 nano-wires have been produced by the molten-salt synthesis method. Powder X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to investigate structure and morphology of the obtained products. Moreover, the current work also proposes synthesis mechanism of BaTiO3 nano-wires when barium nitrate and titanium dioxide were chosen as starting materials. The results revealed that the dissolution rate of the initial precursors was a critical factor refining the shape of the final products. An impedance-type humidity sensor was finally fabricated based on as-prepared BaTiO3 nano-wires and tested with humidity performance providing that BaTiO3 nano-wire is suitable for high-performance humidity sensors. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd and Techna Group S.r.l. All rights reserved.