Low temperature Ce2Si2O7 polymorph formed by mechanical activation

Studying solid state reaction between mechanically activated oxide powders of CeO2 and quartz-SiO2, we obtained directly during heat treatment, the low temperature polymorph of Ce2Si2O7 instead of the high temperature polymorph formed in non-activated oxides mixture. The mixture with composition corresponded to Ce2Si2O7 stoichiometry was mechanically activated by milling in high energetic vibratory mill for 2–120 min. Heating was done in an Astro furnace in a flowing argon atmosphere at 1200–1550 °C for 1 h while the specimens were furnace cooled. Crystallite size, lattice distortion and phases identification was performed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. Microstructure characterization of the mixtures was done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Low temperature polymorph of Ce2Si2O7 was obtained in activated mixtures at temperatures below 1400 °C.