Abstract
The ageing characteristics of a metal-alkoxide solution, used to prepare thin films of ferroelectric bismuth titanate, Bi4Ti3O12, were carefully scrutinized using laser light scattering. Dynamic light scattering experiments revealed a bimodal distribution of hydrodynamic diameters, with larger molecular clusters increasing in size from 4 to 68 nm over the course of 60 days ageing in a sealed vial. Static light scattering measured the radius of gyration to be 71 nm. Comparison of these two results suggests that these clusters are approximated as thin cylindrical (or chainlike) structures. Using ellipsoid scattering theory, plots of scattered light intensity versus q (scattering) vector also suggest a long cylindrical type cluster with a length of ∼350 nm and a diameter of ∼4 nm. Some deviation of experimental data from the theoretical curves probably is an indication of some flexibility and/or fractal nature of the molecular clusters. Such anisotropy in oligomeric cluster shape apparently has a strong influence on final crystallographic texturing of ceramic thin films made by spin-coating of these solutions on flat substrates.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
J. Livage, C. Sanchez, and F. Babonneau, in Chemistry of Advanced Materials, edited by L. Interrante and M. Hampden-Smith (Wiley-VCH, New York, 1998), p. 389.
T. Takenaka and K. Sakata, Jap. J. Appl. Phys. 19(1), 31 (1980).
S. Cummins and L. Cross, J. Appl. Phys. 39, 2268 (1968).
P. Fuierer, S. Sun, and L. Liu, in Sol-Gel Science and Technology, Ceramic Transactions, edited by E. Pope, S. Saka, and L. Klein (American Ceramic Society, Westerville, OH, 1995), Vol. 55, p. 199.
P. Fuierer and B. Li, J. Amer. Ceram. Soc. 85(2), 299 (2002).
J. Livage, M. Henry, and C. Sanchez, J. Phys. Sol. State. Ceram. 18, 299 (1992).
S. Doeuff, M. Henry, C. Sanchez, and J. Livage, J. Non-Cryst. Sol. 89, 206 (1987).
C.J. Brinker and G. Scherer, Sol-Gel Science (Academic Press, San Diego, 1990).
D. Schaefer, MRS Bulletin 13(2), 22 (1988).
C. Byers and M. Harris in Ultrastructure Processing of Advanced Ceramics, edited by J. Mackenzie and D. Ulrich (Wiley & Sons, New York, 1988), p. 843.
C.J. Brinker, K. Keefer, D. Schaefer, R. Assink, B. Kay, and C. Ashley, J. Non-Cryst. Sol. 63, 45 (1984).
B. Berne and R. Pecora, Dynamic Light Scattering (John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1976).
M.B. Huglin, Light Scattering from Polymer Solutions (Academic Press, London, 1981).
W. Burchard, W. Schmidt, and W.H. Stockmayer, Macromolecules 13, 1265 (1980).
W. Burchard, Adv. Polym. Sci. 48, 1 (1983)
L.J. Fetters, N.P. Balsara, J.S. Huang, H.S. Jeon, K. Almdal, and M.Y. Lin, Macromolecules 28, 4996 (1995).
J.Q. Zhao, E.M. Pearce, T.K. Kwei, H.S. Jeon, P.K. Kesani, and N.P. Balsara, Macromolecules 28, 1972 (1995).
J.M.F. Nogueira and M.A.R.B. Castanho, Colloids and Surfaces A-Physicochemical and Eng. Aspects 191, 263 (2001).
H. Schuch, J. Klinger, P. Rossmanith, T. Frechen, M. Gerst, J. Feldthusen, and A. Muller, Macromolecules 33, 1734 (2000).
J-H. Guenet, H.S. Jeon, C. Khatr, S.K. Jha, N.P. Balsara, M.M. Green, A. Brulet, and A. Thierry, Macromolecules 30, 4590 (1997).
M. Shibayama, M. Tsujimoto, and F. Ikkai, Macromolecules 33, 7868 (2000).
T. Yamamoto, T. Yoshida, T. Suzuki, S.R. Mukai, and H. Tamon, J. Colloid and Interface Sci. 245, 391 (2002).
K. Akiyoshi, E. Kang, S. Kurumada, J. Sunamoto, T. Princip, and F. Winnik, Macromolecules 33, 3244 (2000).
L.S. Ehrlich, T.B. Liu, S. Scarlata, B. Chu, and C.A. Carter, Biophysical J. 81, 586 (2001).
Y. Pan and W. Ford, Macromolecules 33, 3731 (2000).
M. Gebert and R. Pekala, Chem. Mater. 6, 220 (1994).
Q. Zhang, Z. Huang, and R.W. Whatmore, J. Sol-Gel Sci. & Technol. 23, 135 (2002).
P.C. Joshi and S.B. Krupanidhi, J. Appl. Phys. 72, 5827 (1992).
S. Sun, Ferroelectric Thin Films: Part I. An Investigation of Self Polarization and Related Phenomena in PZT. Part II. Chemical Deposition of c-axis Orientated Bismuth Titanate, Ph.D. Thesis (New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, 1997).
S. Provencher, Makromol. Chem. 180, 201 (1979).
CONTIN version 1.8, NNLS version 1.8, Brookhaven Instruments Corporation, Holtsville, NY.
S.B. Dubin, N.A. Clark, and G.B. Benedek, J. Chem. Phys. 54, 5158 (1971).
F. Perrin, J. Phys. Rad. 5, 497 (1934). Ibid, 7, 1 (1936).
M. Kerker, The Scattering of Light (Academic Press, New York, 1969).
J. Stellbrink, L. Willner, O. Jucknischke, D. Richter, P. Lindner, L.J. Fetters, and J.S. Huang, Macromolecules 31, 4189 (1998).
W. Heller, in Polymer Colloids II, edited by R. Fitch (Plenum, New York, 1980), p. 153.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Fuierer, P., Li, B. & Jeon, H. Characterization of Particle Size and Shape in an Ageing Bismuth Titanate Sol Using Dynamic and Static Light Scattering. Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology 27, 185–192 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023754718688
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1023754718688