Yang, HuiYang, GaiLiu, YunWang, Chuang2015-12-101022-6680http://hdl.handle.net/1885/62635The effect of mineralizer upon the fabrication of lead-free, piezoelectric Bi0.5Na0.5TiO3 (BNT) was investigated using a hydrothermal reaction technique. Results indicated that BNT crystals can be formed in a basic environment controlled by a NaOH mineralizer. The morphologies and sizes of the resultant particles are determined by the concentration of NaOH: a lower alkaline concentration leads to the particles with a spherical shape consisting of a number of small, intergrown BNT crystals while a higher NaOH concentration (e.g. > 12 mol/L) results in large, individual BNT cubes. Possible growth mechanisms of the BNT particles were discussed in conjunction with surface hydration, dehydration and free water content during the hydrothermal reaction.Keywords: Bismuth sodium titanate; Growth mechanisms; Hydrothermal reaction; Lead-Free; Lead-free piezoelectrics; NaOH concentration; Spherical shape; Surface hydration; TiO; Bismuth; Crystals; Piezoelectric ceramics; Piezoelectricity; Sodium; Soft magnetic materia Bismuth sodium titanate; Hydrothermal synthesis; Lead-free; Piezoelectric ceramic201110.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.298.2092016-02-24