Morphology Evolution of Mg[sub.2]SiO[sub.4] Particles Synthesized by Spray Pyrolysis from Precursor Solution

Forsterite (Mg[sub.2]SiO[sub.4]) materials have been used in the industrial applications of refractory materials, bone grafting materials, and microwave dielectric materials. In order to avoid the formation of the secondary phase of MgO or MgSiO[sub.3], spray pyrolysis with the precursors of magnesium nitrate hydrate and tetraethyl orthosilicate has been applied to synthesized Mg[sub.2]SiO[sub.4] powders. In this study, three typical morphologies of smooth solid sphere, rough hollow sphere, and concaved hollow sphere were observed using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The experimental results suggested that morphology and particle size distribution are strongly influenced by the calcination temperature. Finally, the corresponding powder formation mechanisms were proposed and discussed.