O alcóxido heterometálico [FeCl{Ti 2 (OPr i ) 9 }] (1) foi utilizado como um precursor de fonte única para a preparação de óxidos de Fe/Ti sob atmosfera inerte. Três procedimentos sintéticos distintos foram adotados no processamento de 1, com o emprego de soluções aquosas ácidas (HNO 3 ou HCl), ou na ausência de ácido mineral. Os produtos foram caracterizados por difratometria de raios X (pó), microscopia eletrônica de varredura combinada com espectroscopia de dispersão de raios X (MEV/EDS) e espectroscopias Raman, de ressonância paramagnética eletrônica (RPE) e Mössbauer. Os óxidos produzidos contêm titânio(IV) e ferro(III) (ou ferro(II)), dependendo das condições de reação e das temperaturas de tratamento térmico. Uma interessante redução de ferro(III) a ferro(II), que levou à obtenção de ilmenita (FeTiO 3 ), foi observada a 1000 o C no sistema contendo HNO 3 . Estudos por MEV/EDS revelaram uma distribuição altamente heterogênea dos metais em todos os produtos, possivelmente relacionada com a presença de um conteúdo significativo de carbono e de defeitos estruturais (vacâncias de oxigênio) nos sólidos.The heterometal alkoxide [FeCl{Ti 2 (OPr i ) 9 }] (1) was employed as a single source precursor for the preparation of Fe/Ti oxides under inert atmosphere. Three different synthetic procedures were adopted in the processing of 1, either employing aqueous HNO 3 or HCl solutions, or in the absence of mineral acids. Products were characterised by powder X-ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy combined with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) and Raman, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and Mössbauer spectroscopies. Oxide products contained titanium(IV) and either iron(III) or iron(II), depending on reaction conditions and thermal treatment temperatures. An interesting iron(III)→iron(II) reduction was observed at 1000 o C in the HNO 3 -containing system, leading to the detection of ilmenite (FeTiO 3 ). SEM/EDS studies revealed a highly heterogeneous metal distribution in all products, possibly related to the presence of a significant content of carbon and of structural defects (oxygen vacancies) in the solids.Keywords: oxides, sol-gel, single source precursor, inert atmosphere, electron microscopy
IntroductionMultimetal oxide systems play an important role in materials science. They have been extensively investigated for the development of high performance ceramics and (nano)composites, aiming at applications in optics, electronics, magnetism and catalysis. The development of structural components, energy conversion devices, sensors and MRI contrast agents has also benefited from heterometal oxide research. [1][2][3][4] Nowadays, the preparation of these oxides is often performed by chemical methods. 3,[5][6][7] In particular, the sol-gel process, either hydrolytic or non-hydrolytic, has been widely employed due to its advantages over conventional solid state methods. These advantages include lower processing temperatures and better control over microstructure, uniformity and stoichiometry o...