Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology https://doi.org/10.1007/s10971-019-05123-y ORIGINAL PAPER: SOL – GEL AND HYBRID MATERIALS FOR DIELECTRIC, ELECTRONIC, MAGNETIC AND FERROELECTRIC APPLICATIONS Sintering of BaTiO 3 powder/sol composite thick films and their dielectric and piezoelectric properties J.-F. Trelcat 1 ● N. Basile 1 ● M. Gonon 1 ● M. Rguiti 2 ● C. Courtois 2 ● A. Leriche 2 Received: 28 November 2018 / Accepted: 25 August 2019 © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature 2019 Abstract In this work, barium titanate thick films are produced at low-temperature using a modified sol–gel/ceramic powder technology named the composite route. In this process, a commercial BaTiO 3 powder, doped or not by Li 2 O as sintering aid, is mixed with a stabilized titanium (IV) isopropoxide/barium acetate sol to obtain a composite ink. Two sols, using different solvents and chelating agents, are tested. Characterization of the evolution of theses sols with an increase in temperature is realized by thermal analyses (TGA and DTA) and X-ray diffraction. The four type of inks obtained are screen-printed on metallized alumina substrates and sintered. Microstructures and electrical properties of the sintered composite films are compared to those processed from a conventional ink obtained by dispersing the barium titanate powder in an organic vehicle. Measurements of dielectric/piezoelectric properties highlight higher charge coefficients d 33 for composite thick films (69 vs. 45 pC/N for conventional thick films at close thickness values) despite a lower relative permittivity (340 vs. 658) certainly due to the presence of a single domain BaTiO 3 nano-crystallites. Graphical Abstract Highlights ● BaTiO 3 thick films are produced at low-temperature using a composite sol–gel/powder technology. ● Composite thick films lead to higher d 33 by comparison to conventional ones. ● The relative permittivity of all composite thick films is lower than the conventional ones. Keywords Sol–gel ● Thick films ● Composite inks ● Dielectric and piezoelectric properties ● BaTiO 3 ● Li 2 O sintering aid * J.-F. Trelcat jf.trelcat@bcrc.be 1 Materials Science, University of Mons, Rue de l’Epargne 56, 7000 Mons, Belgium 2 Laboratoire des Matériaux Céramiques et Procédés Associés, EA 2443-LMCPA, Univ. Valenciennes, 59313 Valenciennes, France 1234567890();,: 1234567890();,: