Forsterite powder prepared from water-soluble hybrid precursor

Abstract

Partially polycondensed y-aminopropylsilanetriol (APSTOL) was used as the silica precursor to prepare magnesium orthosilicate in the form of crystalline forsterite. Aqueous solutions of APSTOL and magnesium acetate were mixed and dried forming a water-soluble product that was converted into forsterite by heating to 1,000°C. The thermal evolution of the system was studied using TGA, FTIR, UV-VIS spectrophotometry, and XRD techniques, especially for the acetate decomposition and transformation of CSiO 3 -tetrahedra into the orthosilicate anions. The combustion of organics and the crystallization of forsterite proceed at temperatures 350 and 870°C, respectively. At intermediate temperatures, the system contains amorphous silicates with oligomeric and polymeric anions, which gradually depolymerize as temperature increases. The resulting crystalline product contains less impurities (periclase and enstatite) than samples prepared using other wet-chemistry techniques.