Core-Shell Heterostructures: From Particle Synthesis to Bulk Dielectric, Ferroelectric, and Multiferroic Composite Materials

The nanoscale coating of small particles with materials of different composition, resulting in the formation of core-shell structures, is a relatively new and active area of research. Core-shell particles can be used as building blocks for the fabrication of bulk composite multifunctional materials with 0-3 connectivity by means of appropriate densification techniques. This chapter reviews the synthesis and consolidation of ferroelectric and multiferroic core-shell particles and the properties of resulting composites. Then, it gives a general overview on the liquid-phase synthesis of core-shell particles. The chapter also reports a short survey on the synthesis of BaTiO3@polymer particles and their use as fillers in polymer composites. The coating of ferroelectric cores with linear dielectric or paraelectric oxides and the fabrication of dielectric ceramics and composites are reviewed. The preparation and consolidation of multiferroic core-shell particles are also discussed.