Method of producing bismuth titanate fine powders

Abstract

A method of producing bismuth titanate fine powders comprising hydrolysis product of an inorganic titanium compound or water soluble titanium salt, reacting the solution with water soluble bismuth compound in an aqueous alkaline solution having pH value between 14.0 and 14.9, and filtering and washing the resulting precipitates from the solution. Further, a method of producing bismuth titanate fine powder comprising the steps of, preparing an aqueous solution containing hydrolysis product of titanium compound or water soluble titanium salt, reacting the solution with water soluble bismuth compound in an aqueous alkaline solution having pH value between 14.1 and 14.85 at a temperature not lower than 150.degree. C. When the reaction is to be carried out at an ambient pressure, it can be carried at a temperature higher than 50.degree. C. and lower than the boiling point of the solution at the ambient pressure. The precipitate resulting from the reaction is filtered and heat-treated to fine powders of bismuth titanate Bi.sub.4 Ti.sub.3 O.sub.12. When the reaction of the solution is carried out in an autoclave and at higher than 150.degree. C., it is possible to directly obtain the fine powders of bismuth titanate of the orthorhombic structure.