Abstract

This study outlines an effective approach to purifying natural rutile from the Ambatofinandrahana deposit in Madagascar and subsequently transforming it into calcium titanate through solid-state synthesis. Treatment of the raw mineral with concentrated hydrochloric acid significantly eliminated unwanted secondary phases, such as hematite and montroseite, as confirmed by various analytical techniques including X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The synthesis of CaTiO₃ at 1100 °C, utilizing the purified rutile as a source and calcium carbonate as a supplement, resulted in the formation of a single-phase calcium titanate, demonstrating the effectiveness and suitability of the implemented approach. The structural, morphological, and surface chemical characteristics of all materials were comprehensively investigated using advanced analytical methods. Furthermore, dielectric measurements on the synthesized CaTiO₃ revealed stable permittivity and low dielectric loss over a wide frequency range, suggesting its potential for electronic applications.

Keywords:Rutile; Calcium titanate; Purification; Solid-state reaction; Characterization; Dielectric properties