Sol-gel synthesis of Ln2(Ln = La, Nd)Ti2O7

Abstract

Lanthanum and neodymium titanates were prepared by a sol-gel route. Synthesis of La2Ti2O7 from pure alkoxide precursors yielded an intermediate perovskite type phase, La(1–x)TiO3, which partially transformed to La2Ti2O7 on heating to 1500 °C. Substitution of the lanthanum acetylacetonate for alkoxide precursor yielded La2Ti2O7 without any intermediate phase at a very low temperature of 700 °C. Sintering of the La2Ti2O7 gel powder yielded a highly dense ceramic with ∼97% theoretical density. Similar sintering treatment resulted in ∼92% theoretical density for Nd2Ti2O7.