Phase Equilibrium Relations in the Binary System Barium Oxide-Niobium Pentoxide

Abstract

A large portion of the phase equilibrium diagram for the binary system barium oxide-niobium pentoxide has been constructed from observations of fusion characteristics and X-ray diffraction data. In the system five binary compounds were observed with BaO: Nb₂O₅ ratios of 5:2, 1:1, 6:7, 3:5, and 1:3 and a 6:1 compound was postulated. The 1:1 compound was found to melt congruently at 1,455 °C and have only one stable polymorph, although a second metastable polymorph can also be prepared. The 5:2 compound melts congruently at 1,542 °C; the 6:7, 3:5, and 1:3 phases melt incongruently at 1,330, 1,290, and 1,315 °C, respectively. The phase relations of the 6:1 compound could not be determined due to the reaction between this phase and platinum metal. No 2:1 compound was observed in this system.

Figure 1. Postulated phase equilibrium diagram for the system BaO–Nb₂O₅.

x—not melted. ●—partially melted. ○—completely melted.