Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images showing particles of advanced functional oxides. The powders are synthesized by chemical methods in solution (precipitation, hydrothermal and solvothermal synthesis). Color (if added) helps to emphasize the grayscale levels.
<p>The grayscale images show dendritic growth of barium titanate (BaTiO<small>3</small>) by hydrothermal synthesis. The different morphologies depend on the synthesis conditions: size and shape can be varied by changing the concentration of precursors, the reaction temperature and the time.
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In general, the synthesis of BaTiO<small>3</small> by precipitation from aqueous solution allows to produce particles with spherical shape with size that can be tailored, from a few nanometers to several hundred nanometers, by decreasing the concentration of reactants. At very low concentration the particles have the tendency to develop a dendritic-like morphology, as reported in the images.
<a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Mtbusca" title="User:Mtbusca">M.T. Buscaglia, ICMATE-CNR</a>
CC BY 4.0
<span class="int-own-work" lang="en">Own work</span>