Synthesis of solid and hollow ATO spheres by carbothermal reduction of ATO nanoparticles

Solid and hollow ATO spheres were fabricated by heating ATO nanoparticles and graphite mixture in a tube furnace. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by EDS, XRD, FE-SEM, TEM and HRTEM. The size of the solid spheres could be controlled by adjusting the rate of Ar flow and deposition positions. The hollow spheres were synthesized in an alumina tube system under conditions of a relatively high oxygen concentration. The growth mechanism of solid and hollow spheres was analysed.