Nanostructured aluminium titanate (Al2TiO5) particles and nanofibers: Synthesis and mechanism of microstructural evolution

作者：Azarniya Abolfazl; Azarniya Amir; Hosseini Hamid Reza Madaah^*; Simchi Abdolreza

来源：Materials Characterization, 2015, 103: 125-132.

DOI：10.1016/j.matchar.2015.03.030

• Sol gel
• Aluminium titanate
• Nanofiber
• Nanostructured materials
• Electrospinning

In this study, aluminium titanate (AT) particles and nanofibers were synthesized through citrate sol gel and sol gel-assisted electrospinning methods in both nanostructured powder and nanofiber forms. The results of X-ray diffraction analysis, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and differential thermal analysis showed that the synthetic products benefit a nanostructured nature with a grain size less than 70 nm. The optimal values for time and temperature at which a roughly pure AT is attained were determined as 2 h and 900 degrees C, respectively. It was found that the sol gel precursor bears an amorphous structure till 700 degrees C and begins to be crystallized to alumina, anatase and AT at higher temperatures. Moreover, AT tends to decompose into rutile and alumina at temperatures higher than 900 degrees C and its degradation rate reaches a maximum at temperatures near to 1100 degrees C. In this synthesis, citric acid was used as a chelating agent for Al3+ and TO4+ ions and it was shown that a low citric acid-to-metal cation ratio leads to larger numbers of nuclei during crystallization and smaller grain size. Finally, a model was suggested to describe the microstructural evolution of AT compound based on a nucleation and growth regime.

• 出版日期2015-5