Titanium Oxide Hydrolysis for Dispersibility and Bulk Density
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing titanium oxide result in low dispersibility and handleability issues due to insufficient water adsorption and high bulk density, leading to increased costs and productivity problems, especially when used as a slurry in applications like lithium ion batteries and solar cells.
Innovation Solution
A liquid-phase method is employed where an aqueous titanium tetrachloride solution is added to warm water at a controlled rate, with temperatures between 30° C. to 95° C., and in the presence of a water-soluble organic or inorganic acid, to produce titanium oxide with high anatase content and optimized bulk density, enhancing water adsorption and dispersibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If titanium oxide particles are reduced to small particle size for application requirements, then the particle size is improved, but the dispersibility in polar solvents deteriorates due to aggregation
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the titanium oxide particle surface by controlling the hydrolysis conditions and adding specific additives (acids or bases), thereby increasing the number of hydroxyl groups on the surface. This parameter change transforms the surface properties to enhance hydrophilicity and prevent aggregation, resolving the dispersibility issue while maintaining small particle size.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality modification by specifically altering the surface properties of the titanium oxide particles through controlled hydrolysis and additive treatment. The bulk particle size remains small, but the surface region is modified to have increased hydroxyl group concentration, creating a local quality difference that improves dispersibility without affecting the overall particle size distribution.
2Reliability
If the number of hydroxyl groups on particle surfaces is increased to improve hydrophilicity, then the water adsorption amount is improved, but the bulk density decreases leading to handleability issues
Solution Approach 1:
The invention optimizes multiple parameters simultaneously: controlling the hydrolysis temperature (30-95°C), adjusting the addition rate of titanium tetrachloride solution, and selecting appropriate acids or bases. These parameter changes achieve the right balance between increasing surface hydroxyl groups for hydrophilicity and controlling bulk density for handleability, preventing either extreme from dominating.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies partial action by adding specific amounts of acids or bases during hydrolysis - not excessive amounts that would over-saturate the surface and compromise bulk density, but sufficient amounts to achieve the desired hydroxyl group concentration. The addition rate is carefully controlled to achieve optimal surface modification without excessive bulk density reduction.
3Stability of the object's composition
If sulfuric acid is added after hydrolysis progresses to increase anatase content, then the crystal form is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary action by adding the acid or base at the beginning of the hydrolysis process rather than after hydrolysis has progressed. This preliminary addition allows the acid/base to act as a catalyst or modifier throughout the entire hydrolysis process, achieving high anatase content without requiring subsequent separate treatment steps, thereby simplifying the overall manufacturing process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges multiple functions into a single step: the acid or base addition serves both to control the hydrolysis rate and to determine the final crystal form (anatase content). This combining of functions eliminates the need for separate crystal form control steps that would be required in conventional methods, reducing process complexity while maintaining high anatase content.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method produces titanium oxide with high dispersibility and handleability in polar solvents, maintaining a suitable bulk density and water adsorption, reducing production costs and improving productivity, making it suitable for applications in lithium ion batteries and solar cells.
Implementation Method 1
titanium tetrachloride is hydrolyzed using a liquid-phase method
Implementation Method 2
a titanium oxide having fine particles (a small particle size) and including a large amount of anatase type crystals is obtained
Implementation Method 3
Surfaces of titanium oxide particles are covered with hydroxyl groups which are chemically bonded to a titanium atom or an oxygen atom
Implementation Method 4
the water adsorption amount increases such that an effect of actively causing water to be adsorbed as in a so-called capillary phenomenon is obtained
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a method of producing a titanium oxide in which titanium tetrachloride is hydrolyzed using a liquid-phase method. This method includes a step of adding an aqueous titanium tetrachloride solution to warm water having a higher temperature than the aqueous titanium rachloride solution, in which in the step, the temperature of the warm water is 30° C. to 95° C. and the aqueous titanium tetrachloride solution is added to the warm water such that an increase rate of titanium atomic concentration in the warm water is 0.25 mmol/L/min to 5.0 mmol/L/min, and a titanium atomic concentration in the warm water after the step is 280 mmol/L or lower.