Preparation of Li2TiO3 by hydrothermal synthesis and its structure evolution under high energy Ar+ irradiation

Ultrafine lithium titanate (Li 2 TiO 3 ) powder was synthesized by hydrothermal method . The phase formation and transition condition among α, β, and γ-Li 2 TiO 3 were discussed. XRD and ICP-AES showed the single α-phase was formed at 180   °C with 2   h hydrothermal reaction, and it transited into β-phase at 400   °C. SEM observation and EDS analysis confirmed the dissolution of TiO 2 and the formation of α-Li 2 TiO 3 proceeded simultaneously with preferable growth direction of (-133) lattice. During the phase transition, the powder maintained the small crystallite , which facilitated the fabrication of Li 2 TiO 3 bulk with small grain size. After the Ar + irradiation, the surface region to the depth of 3   μm of Li 2 TiO 3 ceramic was affected, where the decrease of crystallization and disturbance of short-range order were confirmed by GIXRD and Raman spectroscopy . In spite of the structure change at the surface area, the ceramic bulk maintained the same.