Patent ID: 8349284

Claim:
An improved sol-gel process for the preparation of nanocrystalline CeTi2O6 powder, the process comprising the steps of: a) preparing an ethanolic solution of about 0.20-0.30 M cerium chloride heptahydrate; b) adding the solution obtained in step (a) to titanium propoxide to obtain a reaction mixture having concentration of titanium propoxide in the range of 0.331-0.860 M and a mole ratio of Ce to Ti in the range of 0.33:1 to 0.6:1; c) stirring the reaction mixture obtained in step (b) for a period of 4-10 minutes; d) aging the stirred reaction mixture obtained in step (c) at a temperature of 20-30° C., for a period of about one week to obtain a xerogel, and e) sintering the xerogel obtained in step (d) in air at a temperature in the range of 1390-1410° C., for a period of 0.2-10 minutes to obtain the nanocrystalline CeTi2O6 powder.