High temperature hydrothermal synthesis of rare-earth titanates: synthesis and structure of RE 5 Ti 4 O 15 (OH) (RE = La, Er), Sm 3 TiO 5 (OH) 3 , RE 5 Ti 2 O 11 (OH) (RE = Tm–Lu) and Ce 2 Ti 4 O 11
Reactions of rare-earth oxides with TiO 2 were performed in high temperature (650–700 °C) hydrothermal fluids. Two different mineralizer fluids were examined, 20 M KOH and 30 M CsF, and their respective products analyzed. When concentrated KOH fluids were used, single crystals of a variety of new OH - containing species were isolated and structurally characterized: RE 5 Ti 4 O 15 (OH) (RE = La, Er) I, Sm 3 TiO 5 (OH) 3 II and RE 5 Ti 2 O 11 (OH) (RE = Tm–Lu) III. La 5 Ti 4 O 15 (OH) I crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pnnm with unit cell dimensions of a = 30.5152(12) Å, b = 5.5832(2) Å, c = 7.7590(3) Å and V = 1321.92(9) Å 3 , Z = 4. Sm 3 TiO 5 (OH) 3 II crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/m with unit cell parameters of a = 5.6066(2) Å, b = 10.4622(4) Å, c = 6.1258(2) Å and β = 104.7390(10)°, V = 347.50(2) Å3, Z = 2. Lu5Ti2O11(OH) III crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/m with unit cell dimensions of a = 12.1252(9) Å, b = 5.8243(4) Å, c = 7.0407(5) Å, β = 106.939(3)° and V = 475.65(6) Å3, Z = 2. When concentrated fluoride solutions are used, mostly RE 2 Ti 2 O 7 type compounds were isolated in either cubic or monoclinic phases. In the case of cerium, Ce2Ti4O11IV was isolated that crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with unit cell parameters of a = 13.6875(7) Å, b = 5.0955(3) Å, c = 12.8592(7) Å, β = 108.964(2)° and V = 848.18(8) Å 3 , Z = 4. The synthesis, structural characterization, and supporting characterization are reported for all compounds. The work highlights the complementary nature of hydroxide and fluoride fluids in studying the reactivity of refractory oxides.