A New Route for the Synthesis of Pure Bi4(SiO4)3 Crystals by Glass Melt-Cooling Method

Pure eulytite Bi4(SiO4)3crystals were prepared by high temperature melt cooling method using Bi2O3and SiO2as starting materials. In this study, the properties of the samples were characterized by thermo gravimetric (TG),differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that eulytite Bi4(SiO4)3was crystallized when high temperature glass-melt were cooled to 943°C and obvious exothermal peak is shown on the DSC curve; and pure eulytite Bi4(SiO4)3crystals were synthesized by keeping the processing temperature for 8 hours. Bi4(SiO4)3grains grew larger and the amount of vacancy increased along with the extension of holding time, while Bi4(SiO4)3grains still presented a structure of partial ordering. Eulytite Bi4(SiO4)3prepared through melt-cooling method is of high purity and good stability, and can be applied as starting materials of preparation of Bi4(SiO4)3thin film and high quality Bi4(SiO4)3macrocrystal.