Optimization of a wet chemistry method for fabrication of Li2TiO3 pebbles

Li2TiO3 is one of the most promising candidates for solid breeder materials. Li2TiO3 pebbles with about 1.20 mm in diameter and 91%T.D. were successfully prepared by an optimized wet chemistry method using citric acid as chelating agent. Thermal analysis, phase analysis and morphological observations were carried out systematically. The experimental results showed that the amount of the chelating agent influenced obviously the sphericity of the pebbles. The prepared pebbles displayed a homogeneous and temperature sensitive microstructure with an average grain size less than 3 μm while sintered at 1050 °C for 6 h.