Sm. Haile et al., HYDROTHERMAL SYNTHESIS OF NEW ALKALI SILICATES .1. POTASSIUM NEODYMIUM PHASES, Journal of crystal growth, 131(3-4), 1993, pp. 352-372
Hydrothermal techniques have been used to synthesize potassium neodymi
um silicates as potential new fast ion conductors (FICs). Alkali silic
ates are interesting both scientifically and technologically as FICs b
ecause of their typically open framework structures and the unique pos
sibilities for crystal chemical tailoring. We describe here the growth
conditions for eight phases, K3NdSi3O8(OH)2, K3NdSi7O17, K5NdSi9O22,
K8Nd3Si12O32OH, K3NdSi6O15 (Bb *), K3NdSi6O15 (Pbam), K2NdSi4O10OH,
and KNd9(SiO4)6O2 the first four of which have no known isomorphs. Syn
theses has been carried out employing an aqueous solution of KOH, K2CO
3, K2B4O7, KF, or KHF2 as the solvent, and either a glass of high sili
ca content, 4K2O-Nd2O3-17SiO2, or a mixture of Nd2O3, vitreous SiO2 an
d K2CO3 as the precursor material. Pressures, temperatures, and soluti
on molarities utilized ranged from 0.3 to 1.4 kbar, from 350 to 600-de
grees-C, and from 0 to 10 M, respectively. Experiments, performed both
isothermally and under the influence of a temperature gradient, proce
eded for 5 to 20 days. Phases were identified using electron microprob
e composition measurements and X-ray single-crystal and powder diffrac
tion methods. Most phases were produced under well-defined conditions
and synthesis was characterized by a tendency to crystallize compounds
of low silica content and hence low connectivity of the SiO4 tetrahed
ra in the crystal structure at high molarities, high temperatures, and
, to some extent, high pressures. Of the eight phases listed, six were
obtained as crystals large enough for X-ray structure determination a
nd conductivity measurements along at least one crystallographic axis.