<span>Background of the invention: This invention pertains to the art of ceramic powder precursors, and more particularly to a method for producing coprecipitated multicomponent oxide powder precursors. The invention is particularly applicable to a method for coprecipitating metal oxalates as precursors for multicomponent oxide powders used in producing ceramics for a variety of applications, and will be described with particular reference thereto. The invention may be advantageously employed in other environments and applications. The coprecipitation of mixed salts from liquid solutions is a well-established method of ceramic powder precursor synthesis. Coprecipitation refers to the simultaneous precipitation of more than one metal from the same solution. A multicomponent liquid solution of soluble inorganic salts (e.g., metal nitrates, halides, sulfates) is typically combined with a liquid solution of a precipitating agent compound. The precipitating agent is chosen such that, when dissolved and combined with the metals solution, one of its radicals combines with the metal ions to form insoluble salts which thermally decompose to form oxides. The insoluble salts will precipitate in a very finely divided and intimately mixed state. Heating the precipitate decomposes these salts, resulting in a chemically homogeneous, fine oxide powder with high surface area. This powder may then be fabricated into a number of ceramic </span><span>products using various ceramic fabrication techniques. Examples of such ceramic products include, but are not limited to, electrical or electronic ceramics (integrated circuit substrates, capacitors, piezoelectric transducers, ferroelectric devices, or optical or optoelectronic devices, solid electrolytes, electronically conductive ceramic electrodes, and ceramic superconductors); magnetic ceramics (magnetic storage media, video or audio tape heads, transformer cores, memory devices or arrays); ceramics used primarily for their strength, hardness and/or chemical stability (refractories; heat exchangers; abrasives; fibers for reinforcement; bulk materials and coatings for protection from heat, oxidation, corrosion, wear, stress, or other physical or chemical changes; catalyst substrates); pigments; and catalysts. The type of precipitate formed depends on the precipitating agent used. The precipitating agent can be selected from among a variety of compounds including, as examples, hydroxides, carbonates, and oxalates. Although there are advantages and disadvantages to using each of the various types of precipitating agents, precipitated carbonates and hydroxides in many cases tend to be gelatinous thereby difficult to rinse, separate, and filter. As a class, oxalates are generally highly insoluble, and they form particles that are readily filtered from the liquid and easy to handle.http://www.google.com/patents?vid=USPAT5252314</span>
