Sol-gel processing of tellurite powder

Tellurium ethoxide is highly sensitive to moisture in air and water. The hy drolysis and condensation of tellurium ethoxide exposed under different lev ers of water and moisture are investigated in this work and the hydrolysis products were characterised by infrared spectrometry and X-ray diffraction. The decomposition process of the product of tellurium ethoxide hydrolysed in air was analysed by differential scanning calorimetry and thermogravimet ry. This work also studied the influence of sodium component on the phase t ransformation of the hydrolysis product in the decomposition process and on the morphology of the heat-treated hydrolysis products. (C) 2001 Kluwer Ac ademic Publishers.