High Quality and Yield in Potassium Titanate Whiskers Synthesized by Calcination from Hydrous Titania

Hydrous titanium dioxide (TiO₂·nH₂O) was used to prepare K₂Ti₂O₅ single crystals, K ₂Ti₄O₉ whiskers and K₂Ti ₆O₁₃ whiskers at 820°, 940°, and 1110°C, respectively, by calcination. At T < 820°C, dehydration of hydrous titania, decomposition of potassium carbonate, and reaction between titanate and potassium oxide occurred simultaneously, ending with a crystallization reaction of K₂Ti₂O₅ single crystals at 820°C. Subsequently, K₂Ti₂O₅ single crystals convert into K₂Ti₄O₉ whiskers at 940°C, and K ₂Ti₄O₉ whiskers further convert into K ₂Ti₆O₁₃ whiskers at 1110°C. The reaction temperatures for the generations of these types of potassium titanates were all 10°-40°C 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.