Preparation of single phase β-spodumene powders by sol-gel process

The Q-spodumene (Li2O . Al2O3. 4SiO(2), LAS) powders were prepared by the sol-gel process using a mixture of silica sol, alumina sol and lithium nitrate solution. Si(OC2H5)(4), Al(OC4H9sec)(3) and LiNO3 were used as the starting compounds. Thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses (TG/DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), wavelength-dispersive spectroscopy (WDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron diffraction (ED) analysis were utilized to characterize the beta-spodumene powders prepared by the sol-gel process. The crystallization temperature of the LAS gel powder estimated by TG/DTA was about 630 degrees C. When the LAS dried gel was heated from 600 to 850 degrees C, the crystallized powders of the single phase P-spodumene were obtained.