Preparation and Evaluation of Nanostructured Neodymium Titanate via Chemical Method

Nanostructured neodymium titanium oxide thin films and powders with different phase compositions were produced by a straightforward particulate sol-gel route. The sols showed a narrow particle size distribution in the range of 20-26 nm. X-ray diffractograms (XRD) show that the powders contain mixtures of Nd4Ti9O24، Nd2Ti4O11، Nd3Ti4O12 for titanium dominant powders (Nd: Ti≤45:60)، mixtures of Nd2TiO5 and Nd2O3 for neodymium dominant powders (Nd: Ti≥75:25) and pure Nd3Ti4O12 phase for equal molar ratio of Nd: Ti. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) images confirmed that the average crystallite size of the powders annealed at 400ºC was in the range 1. 0-2. 8 nm and a gradual increase was occurred up to 6. 7 nm by heat treatment at 1000ºC. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) analysis revealed that the deposited thin films had uniform and nanocrystalline structure. Moreover، atomic force microscope (AFM) images presented that the thin films had a columnar like morphology with average grain size in the range 17-30 nm at 600ºC and 40-60 nm at 800ºC. The surface area of the powders was enhanced by increasing Nd: Ti molar ratio and reached as high as 110 m2/g for the powder containing Nd: Ti=75:25 (molar ratio) at 400ºC.