Influence of the preparation history of α-Fe2O3 on its reactivity for hydrogen reduction

TG experiments on the hydrogen reduction of α-Fe₂O₃ were carried out to elucidate the influence of the preparation history of the oxide on its reactivity. α-Fe₂O₃ samples were prepared by the thermal decomposition of seven iron salts in a stream of oxygen, air or nitrogen at temperatures of 500–1200°C for 1 h. Thirteen metal ions such as Cu²⁺, Ni²⁺, etc. were used as doping agents. The reactivity of the oxide was indicated by the initial reduction temperature (T_i. α-Fe₂O₃ prepared at lower temperatures showed lower T_i values and the reduction proceeded stepwise (Fe₂O₃ → Fe₃O₄ → Fe). T_i values increased with the rise in the preparation temperature of the oxide. The oxides prepared at higher temperatures showed that two reduction steps (Fe₂O₃ → Fe₃O₄ → Fe) proceed simultaneously. the preparation in oxygen gave higher T_i than that in air or nitrogen. The doping by metal ions, except Ti⁴⁺, lowered the T_i of α-Fe₂O₃. The Cu²⁺ ion showed the lowest T_i, while Ti⁴⁺ showed the highest T_i and the inhibition effect.The reduction process was expressed by two equations; Avrami—Erofeev's equation for α-Fe₂O₃ → Fe₃O₄ and Mampel's equation for Fe₃O₄ → Fe.     

Phase equilibria in the system V2O3Ti2O3TiO2 at 1473°K

The phase equilibria in the V₂O₃Ti₂O₃TiO₂ system have been determined at 1473°K by the quench method, using both sealed tubes and controlled gaseous buffers. For the latter, $\text{CO}{}_2\text{H}{}_2$ mixtures were used to vary the oxygen fugacity between 10^?10.50 and 10^?16.73 atm. Under these conditions the equilibrium phases are: a sesquioxide solid solution between V₂O₃ and Ti₂O₃ with complete solid solubility and an upper stoichiometry limit of (V, Ti)₂O_3.02; an M₃O₅ series which has the V₃O₅ type structure between V₂TiO₅ and V_0.69Ti_2.31O₅ and the monoclinic pseudobrookite structure between V_0.42Ti_2.58O₅ and Ti₃O₅; series of Magneli phases, V₂Ti_n?2O_2n?1Ti_nO_2n?1, n = 4–8; and reduced rutile phases (V, Ti)O_2?x, where the lower limit for x is a function of the $\text{V}\text{(V + Ti)}$ ratio. The extent of the different solid solution areas and the location of the oxygen isobars have been determined.     

Simultaneous measurements of oxygen pressure,composition, and electrical conductivity in praseodymium oxides: II. Pr10O18 and PrO2−x phases

Simultaneous measurements of oxygen pressure, composition, and electrical conductivity have been conducted in Pr₁₀O_18±x (epsilon) and PrO_2?x (alpha) phases, between Pr₉O_16±x (zeta) and Pr₁₀O_18±x phases, and between Pr₇O_12±x (iota) and PrO_2?x phases. In Pr₁₀O_18±x phase, the predominant defects are assigned to be neutral oxygen interstitials and neutral or doubly charged oxygen vacancies, and electrical conduction is thought to be governed mainly by the concentration of 7-coordinated praseodymium ions, which are the easiest sites for hopping electrons between Pr³⁺ and Pr⁴⁺ ions. In PrO_2?x phase, the electrical conductivity increases with oxygen pressure and the $\text{O}\text{Pr}$ ratio and the predominant defects are assigned to be neutral oxygen interstitials, indicating that oxygen vacancies are ordered in a short range and this phase is expressed by PrO_1.78+x rather than PrO_2?x in the region measured. The electrical conductivity-composition measurement, as well as the oxygen pressure-composition measurement, shows a reproducible hysteresis loop between Pr₉O_16±x and Pr₁₀O_18±x and it is discussed in terms of a domain model.     

Synthesis, structure and electrical properties of Cu3.21Ti1.16Nb2.63O12 and the CuOx-TiO2-Nb2O5 pseudoternary phase diagram

Subsolidus phase relations in the CuO_x-TiO₂-Nb₂O₅ system were determined at 935 °C. The phase diagram contains one new phase, Cu_3.21Ti_1.16Nb_2.63O₁₂ (CTNO) and one rutile-structured solid solution series, Ti_1−3xCu_xNb_2xO₂: 0<x<0.2335 (35). The crystal structure of CTNO is similar to that of CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (CCTO) with square planar Cu²⁺ but with A site vacancies and a disordered mixture of Cu⁺, Ti⁴⁺ and Nb⁵⁺ on the octahedral sites. It is a modest semiconductor with relative permittivity ∼63 and displays non-Arrhenius conductivity behavior that is essentially temperature-independent at the lowest temperatures.     

Structure property relationships in the ATi2O4 (A=Na, Ca) family of reduced titanates

Reduced titanates in the ATi₂O₄ (A=Li, Mg) spinel family exhibit a variety of interesting electronic and magnetic properties, most notably superconductivity in the mixed-valence spinel, Li_1+xTi_2−xO₄. The sodium and calcium analogs, NaTi₂O₄ and CaTi₂O₄, each differ in structure, the main features of which are double rutile-type chains composed of edge-sharing TiO₆ octahedra. We report for the first time, the properties and band structures of these two materials. XANES spectroscopy at the Ti K-edge was used to probe the titanium valence. The absorption edge position and the pre-edge spectral features observed in the XANES data confirm the assignment of Ti³⁺ in CaTi₂O₄ and mixed-valence Ti³⁺/Ti⁴⁺ in NaTi₂O₄. Temperature-dependent resistivity and magnetic susceptibility studies are consistent with the classification of both NaTi₂O₄ and CaTi₂O₄ as small band-gap semiconductors, although changes in the high-temperature magnetic susceptibility of CaTi₂O₄ suggest a possible insulator-metal transition near 700 K. Band structure calculations agree with the observed electronic properties of these materials and indicate that while Ti-Ti bonding is of minimal importance in NaTi₂O₄, the titanium atoms in CaTi₂O₄ are weakly dimerized at room temperature.     

Crystal Structure of Pseudorhombohedral InFe1−xTixO3+x/2 (x=2/3)

The structure of pseudorhombohedral-type InFe_1−xTi_xO_3−x/2 (x=2/3) was refined by Rietveld profile fitting. The crystal is a commensurate member of a series in a solution range on InFeO₃-In₂Ti₂O₇ including incommensurate structures. The structure with the unit cell of a=5.9188(1), b=10.1112(2), and c=6.3896(1) Å, β=108.018(2)°, and a space group P2₁/a is the alternate stacking of an edge-shared InO₆ octahedral layer and an Fe/Ti-O plane along c^*. Metal sites on the Fe/Ti-O plane are surrounded by four oxygen atoms on the Fe/Ti-O plane and two axial ones. Electric conductivities of the order 10⁻⁴ S/cm were observed for the samples at 1000 K, while the oxide ion transport number is almost zero as no electromotive force was detected by an oxygen concentration cell.     

Reduction of the titanium niobium oxides. I. TiNb2O7 and Ti2Nb10O29

Reduction of the titanium-niobium oxides follows a common pattern. TiO₂ is eliminated, to form a new phase richer in titanium than the original compound, and Nb(iv) replaces Ti(iv) in the original block structure, which is thereby enriched in niobium. With TiNb₂O₇, the second phase is a TiO₂NbO₂ solid solution, with the rutile structure, initially with a high titanium content, in equilibrium with a solid solution of composition Me₃O₇, isostructural with TiNb₂O₇. At log p_O2 (atm) about ?9.0 this reaches the limiting composition Ti_0.72Nb_2.28O₇, in equilibrium with Ti_0.56Nb_0.44O₂. The Me₃O₇ block structure then transforms into the Me₁₂O₂₉ block structure (Ti₂Nb₁₀O₂₉Nb₁₂O₂₉ solid solution), which rapidly increases in niobium content as reduction continues. Reduction of Ti₂Nb₁₀O₂₉ at oxygen fugacities above log p_O2 (atm) = ?9.0 forms the Me₃O₇ phase as the titanium-rich phase. At log p_O2 = ?9.0, and a composition about Ti_1.6Nb_10.4O₂₉, the rutile solid solution takes over as second phase. The niobium/titanium ratio in both phases rises as reduction proceeds, and the last vestiges of the Me₁₂O₂₉ phase, in equilibrium with the final product, Ti_0.17Nb_0.67O₂, are almost denuded of titanium.     

Study of Ti substitution in ZrW2O8 negative thermal expansion materials

Powder XRD-analysis and thermo-mechanical analysis on sintered TiO₂-WO₃-ZrO₂ mixtures revealed the formation of Zr_1−xTi_xW₂O₈ solid solutions. A noticeable decrease in unit cell parameter ‘a’ and in the order-disorder transition temperature could be seen in the case of Zr_1−xTi_xW₂O₈ solid solutions.Studies performed on other ZrW₂O₈ solid solutions have attributed an increase in phase transition temperature to a decrease in free lattice volume, whereas a decrease in phase transition temperature was suggested to be due to the presence of a more disordered state. Our studies indicate that the phase transition temperature in our materials is strongly influenced by the bond dissociation energy of the substituting ion-oxygen bond. A decrease in bond strength may compensate for the effect of a decrease in lattice free volume, lowering the phase transition temperature as the degree of substitution by Ti⁴⁺ increases. This hypothesis is proved by differential scanning calorimetry.     

O NMR studies of local structure and phase evolution for materials in the Y2Ti2O7-ZrTiO4 binary system

¹⁷O MAS NMR and XRD studies of precursor-derived Y_1.6Zr_0.4Ti₂O_7.2 and Y_1.2Zr_0.8Ti₂O_7.4 have been performed to investigate the development of local and long-range order in these materials as they evolve from a metastable amorphous state upon heating. Zirconium titanate (ZrTiO₄) was also investigated to help interpret the ¹⁷O NMR spectra of the ternary compositions. Consistent with earlier studies, crystallization was observed at 800 °C to form a fluorite structure and a small amount of rutile; weak broad reflections were also observed which were ascribed to the presence of small pyrochlore-like ordered domains or particles within the fluorite phase. As the temperature was increased further, the sizes of these domains grew along with the concentration of rutile. At the highest temperature studied (1300 °C), the reflections of the thermodynamic phases, pyrochlore and zirconium titanate (ZrTiO₄), dominated the XRD pattern. The ¹⁷O NMR spectra revealed a series of different peaks that were assigned to different 3- and 4-coordinate O local environments. The data were consistent with the formation of a metastable phase Y_2−xZr_xTi_2−yZr_yO_7+x with pyrochlore-like ordering but with Zr substitution on both cation sites of the pyrochlore structure. At low temperatures, doping on the A (Y³⁺) sites predominates (i.e., x>y), consistent with the fact that the pyrochlore develops out of a more disordered fluorite-like, phase. As the temperature is raised, the Zr doping on the A site decreases and the metastable phase at this temperature can now be written as Y_2−x′Zr_x′Ti_2−y′Zr_y′O_7+x′ (i.e., x′<y′); TiO₂ is also observed, consistent with this suggestion. At high temperatures, doping on the B site decreases and the resonances due to the stoichiometric pyrochlore yttrium titanate (Y₂Ti₂O₇) dominate the NMR spectra. Weaker ¹⁷O NMR resonances due zirconium titanate (ZrTiO₄) are also observed.     

The crystal structures of Ti2O3, a semiconductor,and (Ti0.900V0.100)2O3, a semimetal

The crystal structures of the semiconductor Ti₂O₃ and the semimetal (Ti_0.900V_0.100)₂O₃ were determined from X-ray diffraction data collected from single crystals. The compounds are isostructural with Al₂O₃ of rhombohedral unit cell dimensions of a = 5.4325(8) Å and α = 56.75(1)° for Ti₂O₃, and a = 5.4692(8) Å and α = 55.63(1)° for the doped system. The effect of substitution of V⁺³ is to increase the metal-metal distance across the shared octahedral face from 2.579 Å in Ti₂O₃ to 2.658 Å in (Ti_0.900V_0.100)₂O₃, while decreasing the metal-metal distance across the shared octahedral edge from 2.997 to 2.968 Å. The metal-oxygen distances exhibit only small changes. These structural changes are consistent with the band theory proposed by Van Zandt, Honig, and Goodenough (9) to explain changes in electrical and other properties with increasing vanadium content in (Ti_1?xV_x)₂O₃.     

Visible and infrared luminescence properties of Er-doped Y2Ti2O7 nanocrystals

Er³⁺-doped Y₂Ti₂O₇ nanocrystals were fabricated by the sol-gel method. While the annealing temperature exceeds 757 °C, amorphous pyrochlore phase Er_xY_2−xTi₂O₇ transfers to well-crystallized nanocrystals, and the average crystal size increases from ∼70 to ∼180 nm under 800-1000 °C/1 h annealing. Er_xY_2−xTi₂O₇ nanocrystals absorbing 980 nm photons can produce the upconversion (526, 547, and 660 nm; ²H_11/2→⁴I_15/2, ⁴S_3/2→⁴I_15/2, and ⁴F_9/2→⁴I_15/2, respectively) and Stokes (1528 nm; ⁴I_13/2→⁴I_15/2) photoluminescence (PL). The infrared PL decay curve is single-exponential for Er³⁺ (5 mol%)-doped Y₂Ti₂O₇ nanocrystals but slightly nonexponential for Er³⁺ (10 mol%)-doped Y₂Ti₂O₇ nanocrystals. For 5 and 10 mol% doping concentrations, the mechanism of up-converted green light is the two-photon excited-state absorption. Much stronger intensity of red light relative to green light was observed for the sample with 10 mol% dopant. This phenomenon can be attributed to the reduced distance between Er³⁺-Er³⁺ ions, resulting in the enhancement of the energy-transfer upconversion and cross-relaxation mechanisms.     

Structural changes resulting from doping Ti2O3 with Sc2O3 or Al2O3

The crystal structures of (Ti_1?xSc_x)₂O₃, x = 0.0038, 0.0109, and 0.0413, and of (Ti_0.99Al_0.01)₂O₃, have been determined from X-ray diffraction data collected from single crystals using an automated diffractometer, and have been refined to weighted residuals of 25–34. Cell constants have also been determined for x = 0.0005, 0.0019, and 0.0232. The compounds are rhombohedral, space group $\text{R}\text{3}\text{c}$, and are isomorphous with α-Al₂O₃. The hexagonal cell dimensions range from a = 5.1573(2)Å, c = 13.613(1)Å for (Ti_0.9995Sc_0.0005)₂O₃ to a = 5.1659(4)Å, c = 13.644(1)Å for (Ti_0.9587Sc_0.0413)₂O₃, and a = 5.1526(2)Å, c = 13.609(1)Å for (Ti_0.99Al_0.01)₂O₃. Sc and Al substitution cause similar increases in the short near-neighbor metal-metal distance across the shared octahedral face; for Sc doping the increase is from 2.578(1) Å in pure Ti₂O₃ to 2.597(1) Å in (Ti_0.9587Sc_0.0413)₂O₃. By contrast, changes in the metal-metal distance across the shared octahedral edge appear to be governed by ionic size effects. The distance increases from 2.994(1) Å in Ti₂O₃ to 3.000(1) Å in (Ti_0.9587Sc_0.0413)₂O₃ and decreases to 2.991(1) Å in (Ti_0.99Al_0.01)₂O₃.     

New transparent conductors with the M7O12 ordered oxygen-deficient fluorite structure: from In4Sn3O12 to In5.5Sb1.5O12

A new transparent conductor, containing pentavalent antimony, In_4+xSn_3−2xSb_xO₁₂, has been synthesized for 0?x?1.5. The latter exhibits an ordered oxygen-deficient fluorite structure with an ordered distribution of Sb⁵⁺ and In³⁺/Sn⁴⁺ species in the octahedral and seven-fold coordinated sites, respectively. More importantly, it is shown that the electronic conductivity of this transparent conducting oxide (TCO) at room temperature, is one order of magnitude larger for x=1 (In₅SnSbO₁₂) than for x=0 (In₄Sn₃O₁₂) and it turns to a semi-metallic behavior in contrast to In₄Sn₃O₁₂ which is a semi-conductor. The potential of this new material, as TCO, is also shown by its reflectance spectra, similar to In₄Sn₃O₁₂, involving only a small increase of the optical bandgap, by 0.15 eV.     

A high-temperature structure for Ta2O5 with modulations by TiO2 substitution

Solid solutions in the series (1−x)Ta₂O₅−xTiO₂ with x=0.0-0.1 were prepared by high-temperature ceramic processing methods, and the crystal structure was determined at room temperature by transmission electron microscopy, electron diffraction and high-resolution lattice imaging. A structural model is proposed for the oxygen-deficient tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅) phase with high TiO₂ doping level (x=0.08). The model is based on edge sharing of an oxygen octahedron-hexagonal bi-pyramid-octahedron molecular building block unit that repeats four times per unit cell. Electron diffraction reveals a monoclinic distortion from a pseudo-tetragonal model structure that is modulated primarily along 〈110〉. The modulation length varies with increasing TiO₂ content. Furthermore, by quantitative HREM analysis and matching of lattice images by simulation, it is shown that the modulation is associated with small ionic displacements in specific lattice planes that coincide with Ta ions in the model structure coordinated by oxygen hexagonal bi-pyramids. Based on this evidence, it is suggested that the modulation comes from a replacement of Ta with Ti ions, and the loss of inversion symmetry in the modulated structure is related to the dielectric properties of the material.     

Nonstoichiometric oxides with a layer structure: The compounds A1−x(Ti1−xM1+x)O5

New nonstoichiometric oxides A_1?x(Ti_1?xNb_1+x)O₅ and tantalates ATiTaO₅ with a layer structure of the KTiNbO₅ type have been isolated, with A = K, Rb, Tl, Cs. These oxides, which are orthorhombic, space group Pnma, are characterized by a preferential occupation of one type of site 4c by the titanium atoms. The structural evolution as a function of composition and the stability of these compounds are discussed.     

Single-crystal synthesis, structure analysis, and physical properties of the calcium ferrite-type NaxTi2O4 with 0.558<x<1

Single crystals of calcium ferrite CaFe₂O₄-type NaTi₂O₄ having millimeter-sized needle shapes were synthesized by a reaction of Na metal and TiO₂ in a sealed iron vessel at 1473 K. Sodium-deficient Na_xTi₂O₄ single crystals with 0.558<x<1 were successfully synthesized by a topotactic oxidation reaction using NaTi₂O₄ single crystals as parent materials. The crystal structures of Na_xTi₂O₄ with x=0.970, 0.912, 0.799, 0.751, 0.717, 0.686, 0.611, and 0.558 were determined by the single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The basic framework constructed by the Ti1O₆ and Ti2O₆ double rutile chains was maintained in these Na_xTi₂O₄ compounds. Based on the results of bond valence analysis, we speculated that the Ti1 sites are preferentially occupied by Ti³⁺ cations over the compositional range of 0.8<x<1, while both the Ti1 and Ti2 sites are randomly occupied by Ti³⁺ and Ti⁴⁺ cations at x=0.558. Magnetic susceptibility data indicated that the broad maximum around 40 K observed in as-grown NaTi₂O₄ is suppressed by an Na deficiency and vanishes in Na_0.717Ti₂O₄. The electrical resistivity increased with the Na deficiency; however, it was still semiconductive in Na_0.799Ti₂O₄.     

Studies of potassium ferrite K1+xFe11O17. I. Electronic conductivity and defect structure

The electronic conductivity of the nonstoichiometric potassium ferrite phase (with the β-alumina structure) has been measured as a function of temperature and potassium ion concentration. The latter was varied by coulometric titration using the cell: K_11q/K-β-alumina/K_1+xFe₁₁O₁₇. At 523°K the conductivity increased nearly linearly as x was increased from 0.09 to 0.65 while the activation energy for conduction decreased from 0.1 to 0.07 eV. The cell emf was completely reversible. The results are consistent with the view that the excess potassium ions are charge compensated by reduction of Fe³⁺ to Fe²⁺, and a comparison with results in the literature for some ironcontaining spinels suggests that a similar small polaron electron hopping mechanism operates.     

Localized moments in the superconducting Li1+xTi2−xO4 spinel system

Electron spin resonance (ESR) and magnetic-susceptibility measurements on the Li_1+xTi_2?xO₄ spinel system ($\text{0 ≤ x ≤}\text{1}\text{3}$) indicate the presence of two types of localized moments in this material. In both cases, an unpaired electron is trapped as a Ti³⁺ ion in a crystal field that is predominantly octahedral, but with a strong tetragonal component. This type of crystal field cannot arise in the stoichiometric spinel. We propose two types of defect in the title spinel system: an oxygen vacancy and a hydroxyl ion. Unpaired electrons are trapped as Ti³⁺ ions adjacent to these defects, and it is argued that the strong tetragonal field is associated with the formation of a static (TiO)⁺ ion by a displacement of the titanium ion from the defect. Spin relaxation occurs via a thermal ionization of the trapped electron that appears to be associated with a static-dynamic transition in the titanium-ion displacement.     

High-pressure synthesis and crystal structure of the mixed-valent titanium borate Ti5B12O26

The new titanium borate was synthesized under high-pressure/high-temperature conditions in a Walker-type multianvil apparatus at 7.5 GPa and 1350 °C. Ti₅B₁₂O₂₆ is built up exclusively from corner-sharing BO₄-tetrahedra and shows a structural relation to the Zintl phase NaTl. Consisting of B₁₂O₂₆-clusters as fundamental building blocks, the structure of Ti₅B₁₂O₂₆ can be described via two interpenetrating diamond structures as in NaTl, where each atom corresponds to one B₁₂O₂₆-cluster. The tetragonal titanium borate crystallizes with eight formula units in the space group I4₁/acd and exhibits lattice parameters of a=1121.1(2) pm and c=2211.5(4) pm. Ti₅B₁₂O₂₆ is a mixed-valent compound with Ti^III and Ti^IV cations. The environment of the titanium cations, as well as charge distribution calculations, leads us to the assumption that Ti^III and Ti^IV are located on different crystallographic sites.     

Defect and dopant properties of the Aurivillius phase Bi4Ti3O12

Computer modelling techniques have been used to investigate the defect and oxygen transport properties of the Aurivillius phase Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂. A range of cation dopant substitutions has been considered including the incorporation of trivalent ions (M³⁺=Al, Ga and In). The substitution of In³⁺ onto the Bi site in the [Bi₂O₂] layer is predicted to be the most favourable. The calculations suggest that lanthanide (Ln³⁺) doping at the dilute limit preferentially occurs in the [Bi₂O₂] layer, with probable distribution over both the [Bi₂O₂] and the perovskite A-site at higher dopant levels. It is predicted that the reduction process involving Ti³⁺ and oxygen vacancy formation is energetically favourable. The energetics of oxide vacancy migration between various oxygen sites in the structure have been investigated.