Crystal Structure of Double Metal Oxide, Cu3TiO4

Abstract

The crystal structure of double metal oxide, Cu3TiO4, which contains cupric and cuprous ions, has been studied by means of the single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Cu3TiO4 is obtained by heating the powder mixture with mixing ratio of Cu2O: CuO: TiO2 = 1: 1: 1 in a platinum crucible at 1050°C in air. Since Cu3TiO4 is decomposed to CuO and TiO2 in the temperature range 600~900°C, the reaction product needs to be cooled rapidly. The crystal is hexagonal with space group P63/mmc. There is one formula unit in the unit cell of dimensions: a0 = 3.04 Å, c0 = 11.46 Å. In this structure, cupric and titanic ions are distributed randomly on the equivalent positions which surrounded octahedrally by six oxygen neighbours. Each cuprous ion has two oxygen neighbours disposed in a straight line. The proposed rational formula of this compound is Cu2+(Cu2+, Ti4+)042–. © 1974, The Chemical Society of Japan. All rights reserved.