Low temperature synthesis of CdSiO3 nanostructures

Abstract

We report the synthesis of single-phase, crystalline CdSiO3 nanostructures at 580 °C; to the best of our knowledge, this is the lowest temperature at which this material is reported to form. The desired phase does not form below 580 °C, since the diffraction peaks are shifted to lower angles in the material treated at 570 °C when compared to JDPDS Card No. 85-0310. The source of silicon has strong influence on the product morphology: Na2SiO3 yields single-phase CdSiO3 in needle-shaped nanostructures, while high surface area mesostructured SiO 2 yields coralloidshaped particles. Low angle X-ray diffractometry reveals that the mesostructured nature of the silica precursor is not maintained in the resulting CdSiO3. Scanning electron microscopy suggests that in this case a transition occurs between the spherical morphology of the precursor and the needle-shape morphology of the material prepared from Na 2SiO3. The surface area of the silica precursor has a strong influence in the reaction, since the use of commercial silica with a lower surface area does not yield the desired product. © 2011 Sociedade Brasileira de Química.