Thermal Treatment of Titanate Derivatives Synthesized by Ion-Exchange Reaction

TiO₂ fibers were formed by thermal treatment of layered H₂Ti₄O₉ (hydrous titanium dioxide) and KHTi₄O₉ synthesized by ion-exchange reactions. The calcination of the former at 900° and 1050°C for 3 h yielded TiO₂ fibers with anatase and rutile phases, whose length and diameter were 15–20 and 2–5 μm and 10–15 and 3–5 μm, respectively. The thermal treatment of the latter at temperatures of 250° to 500°C yielded pure K₂Ti₈O₁₇, which tended to decompose to K₂Ti₆O₁₃ and TiO₂ at temperatures >600°C. At 1050°C, K₂Ti₆O₁₃ phase was formed with rutile TiO₂ fibers, whose length and diameter were 10–20 and 1–3 μm, respectively.