Synthesis of K2Ti6O13 whiskers by the method of calcination of KF and TiO2 mixtures

Abstract Potassium hexatitanate (K 2 Ti 6 O 13 ) whiskers with an average thickness of less than 100 nm were synthesized by calcinating KF and TiO 2 mixtures and subsequent boiling water treatment and reheating. The influences of heating temperature and weight ratio of KF to TiO 2 in the mixture on the formation of K 2 Ti 6 O 13 whiskers were investigated. The suitable experiment condition for whisker formation is a weight ratio of KF to TiO 2 of about 2:1 and a heating temperature of about 720°C. The resultants of reactions between KF and TiO 2 at 720°C were investigated by selected area diffraction (SAD) technique. Some new structures having a monoclinic structure with b = 0.38 nm were found. All these compounds transformed into K 2 Ti 6 O 13 after boiling water treatment and reheating.