PEROXIDE ROUTE FOR SYNTHESIS OF MAGNESIUM TITANATE POWDERS OF VARIOUS COMPOSITIONS

The magnesium titanates MgTiO3, Mg2TiO4 and MgTi2O5 can be synthesized by the wet chemical peroxide route at low temperatures. The first step of the preparation is the precipitation of Peroxo-precursors of definite stoichiometry which are transformable into the corresponding titanates by thermal decomposition. The resulting ultrafine, phase-pure magnesium titanate powders have only a low impurity content. They are very sinteractive above 1200-degrees-C. The rate of densification during sintering of compacts is improved in the order MgTi2O5 < Mg2TiO4 < MgTiO3, including the green densities, the densities at a given time and the theoretical densities of the titanates for the calculations. The Mg2TiO4 formation occurs via the inverse spinel phase of Mg2TiO4 in a metastable state at low temperatures and MgTiO3 and MgO as intermediates.