In situ high temperature x-ray diffraction measurements on a (TiO2)(0.18)(SiO2)(0.82) xerogel using a curved image-plate

In situ high temperature x-ray diffraction measurements have been performed on a (TiO2)(0.18) (SiO2)(0.82) xerogel using a 185 mm radius curved image- plate. The results clearly show that the coordination of Ti in this materia l changes from predominantly sixfold to predominantly fourfold as the tempe rature is increased from 25 degrees C to 310 degrees C An increase in the a verage O-O distance associated with this change is also identified. The use of the curved image-plate is shown to be a valuable technique for in situ studies of structural changes associated with thermal treatment of material s.