Photostriction of ilmenite-type ceramics ATiO3 (A = Mg, Fe, Co, Ni and Mn) under visible light

Oxides with the ABO 3 chemical formula play a crucial role in studying photostriction in inorganic materials. In this study, the photostrictive behavior of ilmenite-type ceramics ATiO 3 (where A = Mg, Fe, Co, Ni, and Mn) was investigated under visible light irradiation. Among the ceramics investigated, CoTiO 3 showed the highest photostriction of approximately 0.1 % under 405, 520, and 650 nm light irradiation. The photostrictive response decreased successively in FeTiO 3 , MnTiO 3 , NiTiO 3 , and MgTiO 3 . Temperature and thermal expansion tests revealed that the deformation of the ceramics caused by the photothermal effect accounted for approximately half of their photostriction. Raman and charge transfer analyses indicated that the photostriction of the ceramics depended significantly on their crystal structure. Thus, the ceramics exhibited distinct photostrictive performances. This study highlights the connection between the crystal structure and photostrictive performance of ilmenite-type ceramics, providing valuable insights into the underlying mechanism of photostriction in inorganic materials.