Preparation of Li2TiO3 by hydrothermal synthesis and its structure evolution under high energy Ar+ irradiation

Abstract

Ultrafine lithium titanate (Li2TiO3) powder was synthesized by hydrothermal method. The phase formation and transition condition among α, β, and γ-Li2TiO3 were discussed. XRD and ICP-AES showed the single α-phase was formed at 180°C with 2h hydrothermal reaction, and it transited into β-phase at 400°C. SEM observation and EDS analysis confirmed the dissolution of TiO2 and the formation of α-Li2TiO3 proceeded simultaneously with preferable growth direction of (-133) lattice. During the phase transition, the powder maintained the small crystallite, which facilitated the fabrication of Li2TiO3 bulk with small grain size. After the Ar+ irradiation, the surface region to the depth of 3μm of Li2TiO3 ceramic was affected, where the decrease of crystallization and disturbance of short-range order were confirmed by GIXRD and Raman spectroscopy. In spite of the structure change at the surface area, the ceramic bulk maintained the same.