Tialite type solid solutions formation in the MgO-Al2O3-Fe2O3-TiO2-Al2O3-TiO2 pseudo ternary system

The mechanism of aluminum titanate (tialite) based solid solutions formation in the MgO center dot Al2O3-Fe2O3-TiO2-Al2O3 center dot TiO2 pseudo ternary system was studied. The tialite is the main mineralogical component in the system and besides this, two other components are formed (magnesium spinel and iron titanate), which decrease its temperature of formation and improve the thermodynamic stability. Depending on the composition and firing temperature two types of solid solutions are obtained; a ternary (Fe,Al)(2)TiO5 and a quaternary (Mg,Fe,Al)(2)TiO5 solid solution. All samples have a good sintering behaviour during the thermal treatment nevertheless without additives, tialite formation is accompanied by great volume increasing. The sintering of all samples starts at 1300 degrees C. After thermal treatment the samples have a reduced open porosity and the average pore radius is about 0, 1 mu m.