The effect of bi2o3 on the sintering temperature of cordierite and single phase cordierite synthesis

In this study, the synthesis of single phase cordierite was aimed using a cordierite mixture of MgO, Al2O3 and SiO2 prepared by the addition of Bi2O3 at low temperature. Firstly, the effect of the changes in the stoichiometric ratios of MgO and Al2O3 was analyzed depending on the XRD patterns. Then, a cordierite composition with nonstoichiometric ratios of MgO and Al2O3 was accepted as composition for the studies. Addition of Bi2O3 was according to the following reaction:2MgO 2Al2O3 5SiO2 + x Bi2O3 ? 2MgO 2Al2O3 5SiO2 + secondary phase(s)For the reaction, x was selected as mole 0.15 (wt.% 12) and 0.20 (wt.% 16). The mixtures was sintered at 1300, 1275, 1250, 1225 and 1200oC temperatures for 24h. The single phase cordierite ceramic without secondary phase(s) was synthesized at 1200oC for 24h. The synthesized ceramics has been characterized by X ? ray diffractogram (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).Keywords: Bi2O3, cordierite, sintering.