The chemistry of the processes involved in the production of lanthanide titanates by the polymerized-complex method

Abstract

The composition, some spectral characteristics, and thermal decomposition of solid lanthanide–titanium (lanthanide (Ln) = Y, La, Ce) and lanthanide–titanium citrates (CA) and tartrates (TA) have been studied. The complexes have been prepared in ethylene glycol medium at conditions modeling those of the polymerized-complex method applied for Ln2Ti2O7 preparation. Special attention has been paid to the chemical nature of the bimetallic products as well as to the factors influencing the deprotonation of the alcoholic OH groups of the acidic ligands. The results contribute to further elucidation of the complexation and thermal decomposition processes involved in the polymerized-complex method.Key words: inorganic compounds, sol–gel chemistry, infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA).