A novel preparation of porous Li2TiO3 pebbles with a distinctive structure

Optimization of the pore structure stands out as an effective approach for bolstering the tritium release performance of lithium-based tritium breeding ceramics, particularly when employing a high open porosity configuration. In this study, Li₂TiO₃ fibers were synthesized via the hydrothermal method, with the assistance of TiO₂-B nanowires acting as templates. Subsequently, porous Li₂TiO₃ pebbles with varying microstructures were fabricated through a combination of the wet method and a sintering process. Sintering process plays a crucial role in determining the microscopic morphology. An increase in temperature resulted in a suppression of the growth of fibrous grains and the transformation of fibrous grains into quasi-spherical grains. Moreover, a two-step sintering process was proposed as a means of improving the crush load (15.9 N vs. 22.0 N) of Li₂TiO₃ pebbles while simultaneously preserving their high porosity (24.91%). The Li₂TiO₃ pebbles, produced by the two-step sintering process, exhibited a distinctive micromorphology characterized by interconnected particles forming short rod-shaped microstructures. This distinctive micromorphology contributes to the maintenance of a high degree of open porosity (10.52%).