Insights Into the External Seeding Hydrolysis of a Unconcentrated Titanium Solution: Linking Kinetics to Metatitanic Acid Microstructure

The hydrolysis of titanium solution is a crucial step in producing metatitanic acid, the primary precursor for titanium dioxide. This study systematically investigates the hydrolysis kinetics of an unconcentrated titanium solution (160 g/L as TiO 2 ) and correlates them with the microstructure of the resulting metatitanic acid. Kinetic analysis demonstrates that hydrolysis follows first‐order kinetics in the initial stage, with an apparent activation energy of 75.49 kJ/mol significantly lower than values reported for concentrated systems. The reduced energy barrier promotes a well‐defined particle evolution pathway, where secondary particle growth occurs predominantly after the second boiling stage, while primary particles stabilize as nano‐polycrystalline anatase. This clear link between favorable kinetics and controlled microstructural development provides a scientific basis for optimizing hydrolysis conditions to produce high‐quality metatitanic acid efficiently.