Sol-Gel Synthesis of Nano-Scaled BaTiO3, BaZrO3 and BaTi0.5Zr0.5O3 Oxides via Single-Source Alkoxide Precursors and Semi-Alkoxide Routes

Sol-gel synthesis of nano-sized BaTiO₃, BaZrO₃ and BaTi_0.5Zr_0.5O₃ ceramics using alkoxide and semi-alkoxide routes has been investigated and the pervoskites obtained have been compared with respect to crystallisation temperature, crystallite size and compositional purity. Heterometal alkoxides containing two (for BaTiO₃ and BaZrO₃) and three (for BaTi_0.5Zr_0.5O₃) different metals were used as single-source precursors in the alkoxide route while semi-alkoxide synthesis was performed by reacting barium hydroxide or acetate with Ti and/or Zr alkoxides. Semi-alkoxide synthesis also produces stoichiometric and phase-pure oxides, however, at temperatures higher than 1000°C. At temperatures below 1000°C, BaCO₃ and small amounts of other undesired phases (e.g., BaTi₂O₄) were present in the oxides derived from semi-alkoxide synthesis. Thermal behaviour, studied by TGA/DTA measurements, shows that thermal decomposition occurs in three major steps and depends on the educt composition and the synthesis route. Among alkoxide derived powders, crystalline BaTi_0.5Zr_0.5O₃ phase is formed at 400°C while complete crystallisation of BaMO₃ ceramics occurs around 600°C. The cubic to tetragonal phase transition for BaTiO₃ is clearly observed at relatively low-temperature of 800°C. The stoichiometry and phase homogeneity of the obtained powders were demonstrated by energy dispersive X-ray analysis and powder diffractometry. The averaged crystallite size of the obtained nano-ceramics was evaluated using the FormFit programme. SEM and TEM observations revealed a high microstructural uniformity.     

UV-Visible Absorption Characteristics of TEOS-Derived and Cr-Doped Silica Sonogels Aged in Different pH Solutions and Heat Treated up to 600°C

Cr-doped xerogels were obtained by sol-gel process from the acid-catalyzed and ultrasound-stimulated hydrolysis of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) with addition of CrCl₃6H₂O in water solution during the liquid step of the process. The gels were aged immersed in different pH solutions for about 30 days, after that they were allowed to dry. The samples were annealed at temperatures ranging from 40 to 600°C and analyzed by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy. Cr³⁺ is the preferable oxidation state of the chromium ion in the gels annealed up to 250–300°C, in the case of aging in solutions of pH = 5 and 11. A high UV absorption below 320 nm, due to the host gel, and different absorption bands, depending on the temperature, due to the chromium ion were observed in the xerogels at temperatures below 250°C, in the case of aging in solutions of pH = 1 and 2. These absorption bands have not been assigned. Above 300°C up to 600°C, Cr⁵⁺, and possibly Cr⁶⁺, are the preferable oxidation states of the chromium ion independent of the pH of the aging solution, so the xerogels turn to a yellowish appearance in all cases.     

Preparation and Characterization of Porous Titania by Modified Sol-Gel Method

Mesoporous titania, especially anatase, is attractive due to its potential applications. A novel method to control pore structure of titania, surfactant- or polymer modification, is proposed. The wet gels and gel films, prepared from Ti(O-nC₄H₉)₄ were dried at 90°C and annealed at 500°C after immersion in surfactant or polymer solutions, and mesoporous anatase was obtained. The pore size, pore volume and specific surface area of the surfactant-modified bulk gels, estimated from N₂ absorption-desorption curves, are more than twice larger than those of the gels without modification. The pore size of the surfactant-modified gel films, observed by SEM, are similar to that of the bulk gels. The pore size obviously depended on the size of micelles. The pore size of the gels modified with hydrophilic polymers hardly increased, but the pore volume and the specific surface area increased.     

Application of Alumina Aerogels as Catalysts

Al₂O₃ gels prepared by hydrolysis of Al-alkoxide were applied as catalysts for NO reduction by hydrocarbon. Xerogels were obtained by drying at 90°C, for 24 h, in air. Aerogels were prepared by supercritical drying of the wet gels in ethanol, using an autoclave. The catalyst activity of the gels for NO reduction with C₃H₆ as determined at 200–600°C in a fixed bed flow reactor. NO conversion to N₂ was about 60% at 550°C with both catalysts, and at 600°C it was better with the aerogel than with the xerogel. The specific surface area of the xerogel, which was larger than that of the aerogel as-dried, decreased to 1/3 by annealing at >500°C. However, the surface area of the aerogel hardly changed by annealing at temperatures up to 700°C. The bimodal pore size distribution of the aerogel hardly changed by annealing, too. The microstructure of the aerogels is stable at high temperatures, and they are better catalysts at high temperatures.     

Synthesis and Characterization of Photocatalytic Porous Fe3+/TiO2 Layers on Glass

Wet chemical synthesis and preliminary photocatalytical characteristics of titania and Fe(III)-containing TiO₂ layers are presented. A highly stable coating colloids could be prepared under base- as well as acid-catalyzed condensation conditions. Structural properties of the as-prepared wet gels and sintered films were investigated using SEM, TEM, XRD as well as optical absorption spectroscopy, DTA-TG analysis and photomineralisation studies. X-ray amorphous wet titania gel layers start to crystallize at 500°C forming the characteristic anatase phase. In the presence of iron ions (Fe/Ti = 1), nanocrystalline FeTiO₃ ilmenite phase forms. Both TiO₂ and Fe-containing TiO₂ films demonstrate a photocatalytic activity in the process of the photomineralization of dichloroacetic acid.     

Sol-gel processed barium titanate waveguides

Monolayer monomode and multilayer multimode BaTiO₃ waveguides have been prepared on amorphous silica substrates by using the dip-coating technique and the sol-gel process. After heat treatment, these waveguides were hard and of good optical quality (losses as low as 2.6 dB/cm were measured) but, their structure was found to depend strongly on the number of layers. Monolayer waveguides were totally amorphous even when heated at 1000°C, while multilayer ones exhibited the tetragonal BaTiO₃ structure at an annealing temperature of 600°C.     

Effect of hydrothermal treatment on properties of Ni-Al layered double hydroxides and related mixed oxides

The Ni-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with Ni/Al molar ratio of 2, 3, and 4 were prepared by coprecipitation and treated under hydrothermal conditions at 180 °C for times up to 20 h. Thermal decomposition of the prepared samples was studied using thermal analysis and high-temperature X-ray diffraction. Hydrothermal treatment increased significantly the crystallite size of coprecipitated samples. The characteristic LDH diffraction lines disappeared completely at ca. 350 °C and a gradual crystallization of NiO-like mixed oxide was observed at higher temperatures. Hydrothermal treatment improved thermal stability of the Ni2Al and Ni3Al LDHs but only a slight effect of hydrothermal treatment was observed with the Ni4Al sample. The Rietveld refinement of powder XRD patterns of calcination products obtained at 450 °C showed a formation of Al-containing NiO-like oxide and a presence of a considerable amount of Al-rich amorphous component. Hydrothermal aging of the LDHs resulted in decreasing content of the amorphous component and enhanced substitution of Al cations into NiO-like structure. The hydrothermally treated samples also exhibited a worse reducibility of Ni²⁺ components. The NiAl₂O₄ spinel and NiO still containing a marked part of Al in the cationic sublattice were detected in the samples calcined at 900 °C. The Ni2Al LDHs hydrothermally treated for various times and related mixed oxides obtained at 450 °C showed an increase in pore size with increasing time of hydrothermal aging. The hydrothermal treatment of LDH precursor considerably improved the catalytic activity of Ni2Al mixed oxides in N₂O decomposition, which can be explained by suppressing internal diffusion effect in catalysts grains.     

Synthesis of PbTiO3 ceramics using mechanical alloying and solid state sintering

The pressure-less sintering behavior of PbTiO₃ powders synthesized by mechanical alloying TiO₂ and PbO was investigated using dilatometry and Rietveld refinements of X-ray diffraction patterns. As-synthesized, the powders are nanocrystalline with a mean particle size of 20 nm. Pressure-less sintering in the range 500-1050°C gives single phase ceramics with densities of 85-90% and crystallite sizes in the range 80-400 nm. Cracking due to the paraelectric-ferroelectric phase transition was not observed in samples sintered below 700°C due to the small crystallite size whereas macroscopic cracks formed in samples sintered above 700°C. Rietveld analysis indicates the formation of Pb vacancies in samples sintered and held for 24 h at intermediate temperatures (600-1000°C) which gives some insight into the mechanism of Pb loss and second phase formation in this system.     

Characterization of Alumina Gel Catalysts by Emanation Thermal Analysis (ETA)

Alumina gels made from the metal alkoxide is known to have high catalyst activity for the selective reduction of NO _x by hydrocarbons. It is also reported that the fine structure of the gels effects the activity. In this study, the effect of the preparation method on the fine structure and catalyst activity of the gels was investigated. Monolithic gels were obtained by hydrolysis of Al(sec-C₄H₉O)₃. The wet gels were dried at 90°C (xerogels), supercritically dried (aerogels), or dried after immersion in an ethanol solution of methyltrimethoxysilane (modified xerogels). The changes in the microstructure during heating were discussed using the results of TG-DTA, ETA and N₂ adsorption. The ETA curves show the ²²⁰Rn-release rate, E, of the samples, previously labelled with ²²⁸Th and ²²⁴Ra, during heating. The decrease in E of the xerogel at temperatures higher than 400°C indicates a gradual decrease in the surface area and porosity. A remarkable decrease in the BET surface area of the xerogel was found after heat-treating at 500°C. On the other hand, constant E of the aerogels and modified xerogels above 450°C suggests high thermal stability. The pore radii, estimated by BJH method, and the catalyst activities at 500°C of the aerogels and the modified xerogels were higher than those of the xerogels. The temperature range in which the alumina gels are applicable as catalysts was determined.     

Effect of titanium dioxide solubility on the formation of BaTiO3 nanoparticles in supercritical water

Fine BaTiO₃ nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis under supercritical condition (400 °C and 30 MPa) from mixture of barium hydroxide and titanium dioxide as starting precursors. First, conditions for synthesizing BaTiO₃ were examined by using batch reactors. High pH condition, pH > 13, is necessary to obtain phase pure BaTiO₃. The reason was discussed based on the solubility of titanium dioxide, which that dissolution–recrystallization process is essential for the synthesis of BaTiO₃ nanoparticles. Rapid heating of the starting precursors by mixing with high temperature water in a flow reactor is effective to synthesize smaller size and narrower particle size distribution for the BaTiO₃ nanoparticles, compared with the case of slow heating with a batch reactor.     

Synthesis of barium titanate/polymer composites from metal alkoxide

Barium titanate (BaTiO₃)/polymer composite was successfully synthesized by methacryltriisopropoxytitanium (MTPT) and barium alkoxide. MTPT undergoes radical polymerization using azobisisobutyronitrile at temperatures from 90 to 150°C. ¹H NMR spectra showed that MTPT reacted with barium alkoxides yielding a complex alkoxide. BaTiO₃ particles/polymer was formed after the polymerization and hydrolysis of the complex alkoxide. The transmission electron microscopic observation revealed that crystalline BaTiO₃ particles of around 3 nm in size were dispersed in the polymer matrix.     

Structural and optical characterization of Ag-doped TiO2 nanoparticles prepared by a sol–gel method

Undoped and silver-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles (Ti_1?x Ag _x O₂, where x?=?0.00?C0.10) were synthesized by a sol?Cgel method. The synthesized products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), particle size analyzer (PSA), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and UV?CVisible spectrophotometer. XRD pattern confirmed the tetragonal structure of synthesized samples. Average crystallite size of synthesized nanoparticles was determined from X-ray line broadening using the Debye?CScherrer formula. The crystallite size was varied from 8 to 33?nm as the calcination temperature was increased from 300 to 800?°C. The incorporation of 3 to 5% Ag⁺ in place of Ti⁴⁺ provoked a decrease in the size of nanocrystals as compared to undoped TiO₂. The SEM micrographs revealed the agglomerated spherical-like morphology of particles. SEM, PSA, and XRD measurements show that the particles size of the powder is in nanoscale. Optical absorption measurements indicated a red shift in the absorption band edge upon silver doping. Direct allowed band gap of undoped and Ag-doped TiO₂ nanoparticles measured by UV?CVis spectrometer were 3.00 and 2.80?eV, respectively, at 500?°C.     

Synthesis of Free-Standing Crystalline Barium Titanate Films at Vapor/Liquid or Liquid/Liquid Interface

Synthesis of free-standing crystalline barium titanate (BaTiO₃) films at vapor/liquid or liquid/liquid interface at room temperature has been investigated. High concentration Ba, Ti alkoxides precursor solution (1.2 mol/l) or pre-hydrolyzed precursor solutions by water vapor in a H₂O/Ba molar ratio of 0 to 6 were used as dropping solutions at the interfaces. Transparent gel films were formed when partially hydrolyzed precursors (H₂O/Ba = 2 to 3) were spread out on a N₂/liquid paraffin interface. The films shrank from syneresis and vaporization of the solvent during aging at room temperature. As a result, free-standing transparent films with a thickness of around 1 m and little stoichiometric deviation were obtained by separation from the liquid surface and rinse by hexane. The films consisted of crystalline BaTiO₃ particles of less than a few nanometers. Nanostructured dense BaTiO₃ free-standing films with a grain size less than 100 nm were obtained at 1030°C.     

Ba Titanate and Barium/Strontium Titanate Thin Films from Hydroxide Precursors: Preparation and Ferroelectric Behavior

Randomly oriented ferroelectric BaTiO₃ and (Ba_0.6Sr_0.4) TiO₃ thin films on platinum coated Si (100) were prepared by a sol-gel method. The precursor solutions were derived from barium hydroxide or a mixture of barium/strontium hydroxides dissolved in acetic acid and titanium butoxide. Polarization versus applied voltage hysteresis studies indicated a remanent polarization of 3 µC/cm² and a coercive field of 43.4 kV/cm for BaTiO₃ films annealed at 800°C for 1 h. Corresponding parameters for (Ba_0.6Sr_0.4)TiO₃ films annealed at 800°C were found to be 7.2 µC/cm² and 102.7 kV/cm, respectively. Microstructural study of the surface morphology of these films indicated grains of less than 0.1 µm in size. The leakage current for (Ba_0.6Sr_0.4)TiO₃ films was found to be two orders of magnitude lower than that for BaTiO₃ films.     

Thermal and Temporal Aging of Two Step Acid-Base Catalyzed Silica Gels in Water/Ethanol Solutions

Dissolution and reprecipitation of silica during aging in water improve the wet gels mechanical stiffness and strength, and hence shrinkage during supercritical drying is reduced. We have investigated how the strength and stiffness of a 2-step TEOS acid-base catalyzed wet gel can be improved by aging in a solution of water/ethanol (20–40 vol%) at various temperatures (20–70°C) and time (2 h and 24 h) and how this influences the aerogels properties. The linear shrinkage during supercritical drying was reduced from 29% to 2% by introducing the aging step in the 20 vol% water/ethanol solution for 24 h at 60°C.We have also in previous works introduced the idea of preparing ambient pressure dried silica aerogels by increasing the wet gels stiffness by aging in a TEOS solution until shrinkage during drying is almost eliminated. The gels aged in the water/ethanol solutions were further aged in a TEOS/ethanol solution and the effect of the increasing water content in the pore liquid was studied. A xerogel density of 0.20 g/cm³ is reported for gels with a shear modulus (G) of 30 MPa.     

Synthesis of silica glass using solventless sol-gel process

Silica glass was synthesized form TEOS and deionized water using sol-gel process. To introduce the physicochemical effects of ultrasonic waves, an ultrasonic homogenizer was used to mix reactants instead of adding cosolvents. 2-step method was chosen to separate hydrolysis reaction and condensation reaction, and thus to control the microstructure of wet gels. Wet gels were dried in 5–8 hours without cracks using supercritical drying with ethanol at 300°C and 10.34 MPa. Aerogels thus obtained have hydrophobic surfaces due to the reesterification reactions during supercritical drying. Aerogels were sintered in a tube furnace in the changing atmosphere from N₂ through O₂ to He. Sudden volume change was started at 1050°C and sintering was completed at 1100°C as expected. Large pores of aerogels allowed fast sintering in 16 and a half hours. Incomplete extraction in supercritical drying step produced crystals during sintering.     

Physicochemical Characterization and Catalytic Properties of Titania Gel Doped with Lithium and Rubidium

The effect on titania of doping with lithium and rubidium titania gels has been studied in samples prepared with titanium (IV) tetra-n-butoxide co-gelling with the alkaline metal precursors. Titania and doped titania were characterized by X-Ray diffraction, which showed that the catalysts were nanostructured. In samples calcined at 400°C, the crystallite size of the anatase phase was 17 and 14 nm, and 78 and 38 nm for samples calcined at 600°C, for Li/TiO₂ and Rb/TiO₂, respectively. The specific surface areas of doped samples (400°C) are lower in Li/TiO₂ (90 m²/g) than in Rb/TiO₂(125 m²/g). Evaluation of their basic properties has been carried out in the acetone condensation reaction. It was found that the activity strongly depended on the Li and Rb ionic radii.     

Direct Precipitation of Spinel-Type Zn(Fe, Ga)2O4 Solid Solutions from Aqueous Solutions at 90°C: Influence of Iron Valence of Starting Salt on Their Crystallite Growth

Spinel-type solid solutions in the whole range of compositions between ZnGa₂O₄ and ZnFe₂O₄ were directly precipitated as nanoparticles by dropping the starting mixed solutions of zinc sulfate, gallium sulfate, and either divalent iron chloride or trivalent iron nitrate into aqueous ammonia at 90°C. Direct precipitation of nanosized spinel-type Zn(Ga,Fe)O₄ solid solutions was also achieved by aging the mixed solutions in the presence of either urea or hexamethylenetetramine at 90°C except for one case (i.e., aging the solutions using trivalent iron salt in the presence of urea). With increased iron content in the spinel-type solid solution precipitates, their crystallite size decreased when trivalent iron salt was used, but increased when divalent iron salt was used. Change of lattice parameter a₀ of the spinel-type solid solutions was confirmed to follow the Vegard's Law.     

Low-Temperature Preparation of (Ba,Sr)TiO3 Perovskite Phase by Sol-Gel Method

We have investigated on the synthesis of Ba_{1 – x}Sr_xTiO₃ (BST, x = 0.0–1.0) solid solution at low temperature by a sol-gel method using precursor solutions of Ba(OC₂H₅)₂, Sr(OC₂H₅)₂, and Ti(OCH(CH₃)₂)₄ dissolved in 2-methoxyethanol. Crystalline BST solid solution monolithic gels were obtained as dried at 90°C. Crystalline fraction of BST gels increased with increasing concentration of the precursor solution and increasing amount of the hydrolysis water used. Ba_0.4Sr_0.6TiO₃ (x = 0.6) gels from a precursor solution of 0.5 mol/l with hydrolysis water of H₂O/Ti = 50 crystallized during aging at 30°C.     

Sol–gel synthesis of macro–mesoporous titania monoliths and their applications to chromatographic separation media for organophosphate compounds

We have developed a method of independently tailoring the macro- and mesoporous structures in titania (TiO₂) monoliths in order to achieve liquid chromatographic separations of phosphorous-containing compounds. Anatase TiO₂ monolithic gels with well-defined bicontinuous macropores and microstructured skeletons are obtained via the sol–gel process in strongly acidic conditions using poly(ethylene oxide) as a phase separator and N-methylformamide as a proton scavenger. Aging treatment of the wet gels in the mother liquor at temperatures of 100–200 °C and subsequent heat treatment at 400 °C allow the formation and control of mesoporous structures with uniform pore size distributions in the gel skeletons, without disturbing the preformed macroporous morphology. The monolithic TiO₂ rod columns with bimodal macro–mesoporous structures possess the phospho-sensitivity and exhibit excellent chromatographic separations of phosphorus-containing compounds.