Synthesis of BaTiO3/Ag nanocomposites using a sonochemical process and low-temperature sintering

A barium titanium oxide/silver (BaTiO3/Ag) nanocomposite powder was synthesized using a sonochemical process. By irradiating an ethanol solution of BaTiO3 and silver oxide (Ag2O), Ag2O thermally decomposed at 40? and Ag-loaded BaTiO3 nanocomposites powder was obtained. Nanocomposites containing 30 vol% Ag sintered at 1000? showed near densities and higher dielectric constants compared to those of BaTiO3 sintered at 1300?. Moreover, percolation did not occur because the Ag nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed and loaded onto the surface of BaTiO3. This sonochemical method is expected to be a new process for obtaining uniformly dispersed and loaded nanocomposite powders without percolation, even in large amounts.