Short range order in Al2TiO5 and its higher order unconventional phases

The Al-Ti-O system finds uses in industry as a coating, mainly Al2TiO5. However, Al2TiO5 decomposes into its constituent oxides in the intermediate temperature range, before reforming at high temperatures. Here, we propose a combined average structure and total scattering study on Al2TiO5 and two higher order phases, Al6Ti2O13 and Al16Ti5O34, to probe anti-site metal short range order and the influence of oxygen vacancies on phase stability and formation. Further, a variable T in situ study aims to reveal directly the influence of oxygen vacancy mobility on crystallisation in Al2TiO5.