Effect of Gelation Process on Preparation of Aluminum Titanate Ultrafine Powder by Hydrolytic Sol-gel Method

摘要

Aluminium titanate (AT) ultrafine powder was prepared via hydrolytic sol-gel (HSG) method using aluminium nitrate (Al (NO_3)_3·9H_2O) and titanium tetrachloride (TiCl_4) as precursors as well as ethanol as solvent. Water required for hydrolysis reaction was supplied by the crystal water of aluminium nitrate itself. The effect of gelation processes, i.e. reflux and solvothermal treatment, on synthesis of AT powder was investigated by means of DTA-TG, XRD, SEM, and TEM, etc. The result shows that the gelation process has significant effect on the synthesis of AT powder. By reflux process, AT powder was synthesized at 1350 °C with average particle size above 1μm and serious agglomeration. Through solvothermal treatment process, however, AT powder with average particle size less than 150 nm was prepared at 1050 °C at a relatively high synthesis rate, which is due to the refinement reactants by the solvothermal treatment.