Electrophoretic coagulation behavior of ferroelectric barium titanate powders in mixed solutions of alcohol and acetylacetone

Although the deposition of BaTiO₃, known as a ferroelectric compound with spontaneous dipole moments, has never occurred in either propanol and acetylacetone, these mixtures were found to enhance the deposition of the powders on a cathode. The present study carried out the systematic investigation of the solution-mixing effect of propanol and acetylacetone on the electrophoretic deposition of BaTiO₃. The optimum mixing ratio for the deposition was 50-70 vol% of propanol, while a depressed migration of BaTiO₃ powders was observed in the mixed solutions. Therefore, it was considered that the enhanced deposition was attributed to the coagulation of the BaTiO₃ powders on the cathode. The deposition characteristics varied with the kind of alcohol used showed that a more highly enhanced deposition was achieved with alcohols having longer side-chains such as octanol. An intertwinement between the side-chains in the alcohols was considered to have an effect on the coagulation of the BaTiO₃ powders.