High quality and yield in potassium titanate whiskers synthesized by calcination from hydrous titania

Hydrous titanium dioxide (TiO(2)(.)nH(2)O) was used to prepare K2Ti2O5 single crystals, K2Ti4O9 whiskers and K2Ti6O13 whiskers at 820degrees, 940degrees, and 1110degreesC, respectively, by calcination. At T < 820degreesC, dehydration of hydrous titania, decomposition of potassium carbonate, and reaction between titanate and potassium oxide occurred simultaneously, ending with a crystallization reaction of K2T2O5 single crystals at 820degreesC. Subsequently, K2Ti2O5 single crystals convert into K2Ti4O9 whiskers at 940degreesC, and K2Ti4O9 whiskers further convert into K2Ti6O13 whiskers at 1110degreesC. The reaction temperatures for the generations of these types of potassium titanates were all 10degrees-40degreesC lower than the corresponding temperatures when anatase was used as the reactant. The whiskers synthesized in the present study exhibited uniform size, good morphology, and a high yield.