CHEMICAL PREPARATION OF SPHERICAL LITHIUM TANTALATE POWDER

Spherical, micron size lithium tantalate powder was prepared by spray drying a lithium tantalate precursor using a mini spray dryer. Three chemical routes were used to prepare the lithium tantalate precursors, using lithium acetate and tantalum ethoxide as starting materials. The affects of processing parameters, such as solvent, drying temperature, and water, on the properties of the resulting powders were investigated. The as-dried powders were amorphous and became crystalline at a temperature as low as 450° C. © 1990 Chapman and Hall Ltd.