Crystal growth and crystal structure of the metastable bismuth orthoborate BiBO3

Abstract

Single crystals of bismuth orthoborate, BiBO3, were grown from the melt in the system Li2O-Bi2O3-B 2O3·BiBO3 is confirmed to adopt at least two different structural modifications. The modification BiBO3(I) (corresponding to PDF Nr. 28-0169) crystallizes with space group P2 1/c. The structure consists of [Bi2O10] groups that are formed by two edge-sharing distorted [BiO6] octahedra and that are interconnected by sharing common corners (oxygen). The [Bi 2O10] groups are further sharing corners with planar [BO3] groups giving a three-dimensional framework.