Investigation into high-pressure behavior of MnTiO3: X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy with diamond anvil cells

The structural stability of manganese titanate MnTiO3 at high pressure was investigated by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy with diamond anvil cells. Ilmenite-type MnTiO3 is stable at least to 26.6 GPa, and lithium niobate type MnTiO3 reversibly transforms at room temperature to perovskite at 2.0 GPa. Bulk moduli (K300) of ilmenite, lithium niobate and perovskite are 174(4) GPa, 179(8) GPa, and 208(5) GPa, respectively (at fixed first pressure derivative K′ = 4). The Grüneisen parameter γ has been estimated to be 1.28 for ilmenite and 1.75 for perovskite. In ilmenite phase, TiO6 octahedra become more regular with increasing pressure. In perovskite phase structural distortion increases with pressure increase.