Room temperature facile synthesis of olivine-Co(2)SiO(4) nanoparticles utilizing a mechanochemical method

Co(2)SiO(4) is a ceramic pigment and promising battery material of significant technological interest, as well as a model end-member of one of the most important mineral families in the Earth's crust and upper mantle. All previously developed methods for synthesis of Co(2)SiO(4) require high-temperature processing, which promotes grain growth, while the nanocrystalline form is required for some important technological applications. Here, we report a successful method for synthesizing nanocrystalline Co(2)SiO(4)via a simple and inexpensive high-energy ball milling mechanochemical process. Products of the synthesis were characterized by a combination of XRD and TEM, and their crystal structures and elemental compositions are reported.