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Effect of heat treatment on structure evolution and properties of nano zinc titanate ceramics
Author(s) -
Labib S.,
Refai H. S.,
Ismail S. M.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
materialwissenschaft und werkstofftechnik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.285
H-Index - 38
eISSN - 1521-4052
pISSN - 0933-5137
DOI - 10.1002/mawe.201400202
Subject(s) - materials science , rutile , ceramic , titanate , zinc , nano , chemical engineering , scanning electron microscope , phase (matter) , diffraction , nanotechnology , metallurgy , composite material , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , optics , engineering
Nano zinc titanate ceramics are prepared using a conventional solid state method. The obtained compacts are sintered at 800, 900, 1000 and 1100 °C for 3 h. The prepared compacts are analyzed using X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for structural and microstructural studies. Based on the X‐ray diffraction (XRD) data, it is observed the coexistence of ZnTiO 3 and α‐Zn 2 TiO 4 phases together at low temperature (800 °C) without the presence of TiO 2 (rutile) contradicting the general mechanism stating the transformation of ZnTiO 3 to α‐Zn 2 TiO 4 and TiO 2 at higher temperatures. A new mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of nano ZnTiO 3 and α‐Zn 2 TiO 4 structures depending on the role of TiO 2 in achieving this mission. According to this mechanism, we propose a partial diffusion of TiO 2 in the ZnO lattice forming the ZnTiO 3 phase. The second part of TiO 2 acts as a catalyst that facilitates the transformation of nano ZnTiO 3 to nano α‐Zn 2 TiO 4 . The catalytic power of rutile is achieved from its enhanced tensile stress that induces the phase transition from nano ZnTiO 3 to nano α‐Zn 2 TiO 4 .