Phase relations in the system Li2O-CaO-B2O3

The subsolidus phase relations of the ternary system, Li2O-CaO-B2O3, are investigated by the powder X-ray diffraction method. The system can be divided into 19 three-phase regions and three two-phase regions based on the phase identifications of 54 ternary samples. There exist 12 binary compounds and two ternary compounds. Two new compounds with composition close to LiCaBO3 and Li6CaB3O8.5 are identified. They both have an orthorhombic structure with different lattice parameters: a = 13.2537(6) Angstrom, b = 6.1799(3) Angstrom, c=6.0746(3) Angstrom, for LiCaBO3 and a=9.2440(6) Angstrom, b=8.0999(4) Angstrom, c=3.4839(3) Angstrom, for Li6CaB3O8.5. Moreover, a compound with a composition close to 0.83LiO(0.5)(.)0.005CaO(.)0.165BO(1.5) has been observed or confirmed in this system. We believe it is the high temperature phase of Li3BO3. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.