Crystallization Behavior of SiO2-TiO2 Ceramics Derived from Titanosiloxanes on Pyrolysis

The crystallization behavior of SiO2-TiO2 ceramics derived from titanosiloxanes was investigated in relation to the structure of the precursor and the pyrolysis temperature. The titanosiloxanes, Si(OBut)2OTi(acac) 2O]2, (ButO)3SiO] 2Ti (OPri)2, and (ButO)3SiO] 3Ti(OPri), were pyrolyzed in an air atmosphere to form SiO2-TiO2 ceramics which crystallized to anatase at 600–650°C, 700–750°C, and 800–850°C, respectively. The crystallization temperature decreased with increased titanium content of the precursor. The average crystallite size of anatase increased with increased pyrolysis temperature and the titanium content. The crystallization temperature and the crystallite size for SiO2-TiO2 ceramics is controlled by the precursor structure, which may enable control of the physical properties of the ceramic materials.