Lithium/titanium ratio: A key factor on crystal structure and mechanical properties of lithium titanate pebbles for tritium breeder

摘要

Lithium titanate pebbles are proposed as one of promising candidates of tritium breeder for the outstanding comprehensive performance, but the low lithium density and lithium vaporization still need to be overcome. In this paper, phase transitions and lithium loss under different Li/Ti ratio are studied in particular. The relationship between Li/Ti ratio and mechanical performance is carefully discussed. Finally, excessiveness of lithium source in raw materials is optimized about 5%, in order to compensate lithium loss in sintering process and further improve the phase purity. A suitable Li/Ti ratio about 2.1 could balance the requirements of high lithium content and excellent mechanical strength.