A Simple Method for Low-temperature Sintering of Titania

Abstract

A low-temperature sintering process was used to produce pellets at different temperatures using TiO 2 anatase (Vetec) and P25 (Evonik) commercial powders. The initial powder was mixed with 75% acetic acid aqueous solution and pressed under 375 MPa. The temperature was applied after the pelletization in a conventional furnace for 4 hours. The best sintering temperature for anatase was 800°C, which is higher than typical cold sintering temperatures but below conventional ones. However, the optimal temperature was 450 °C for P25 due to its density and SEM results. The sintered pellets' maximum densities were 70% (anatase, 800 o C) and 66% (P25, 450 o C). It was not possible to measure the anatase pellets treated under 800 o C because they disintegrated in water. This work studied the effects of the applied pressure, solvent concentration, particle size, and sintering temperature on the properties of sintered pellets, such as integrity, density, and presence of porous. It also evaluated the electrochemical activity measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV), which indicated that the sintered TiO 2 pellets are porous with a partial capacitive response.