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barium titanate
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Figure 2C: The arrangement of titanium, barium, and oxygen ions in barium titanate (BaTiO3); an example of the perovskite crystal structure. Figure 1: Ferroelectric properties of barium titanate (BaTiO3). (Left) Above 120° C the structure of the BaTiO3 crystal is cubic, and there is no net polarization of charge; (right) below 120° C the structure changes to tetragonal, shifting the relative positions of the ions and causing a concentration of positive and negative charges toward opposite ends of the crystal.
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barium titanate

chemical compound
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Figure 2C: The arrangement of titanium, barium, and oxygen ions in barium titanate (BaTiO3); an example of the perovskite crystal structure.
Figure 2C: The arrangement of titanium, barium, and oxygen ions in barium titanate (BaTiO3); an example of the perovskite crystal structure.

Barium titanate (BaTiO3) is a ceramic material known for its ferroelectric properties, meaning it generates a voltage when subjected to mechanical pressure and changes dimension when an electric field is applied. This makes it highly useful in electronic components like capacitors, where it significantly increases energy storage capacity due to its high dielectric constant.1

Barium titanate is synthesized by mixing and firing barium carbonate and titanium dioxide. It is also used in conjunction with strontium titanate as an additive in ceramic bodies. Its unique properties also lend themselves to piezoelectric applications and nonlinear optics. Barium compounds, in general, are toxic if soluble and are derived from barium sulfate, which is found naturally as the mineral barite.123

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4 Britannica Sources
  1. barium
  2. capacitor dielectric and piezoelectric ceramics
  3. barium carbonate
  4. strontium titanate

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