Li4SiO4

Lithium orthosilicate · Lithium silicate

Lithium orthosilicate is a stable, insulating ceramic material widely used as a tritium breeder in nuclear fusion technology.

Crystal structure of Li4SiO4
Ground-state structure · Materials Project
Overview

About Lithium orthosilicate

Lithium orthosilicate is a thermodynamically stable member of the lithium oxide class, characterized by its wide-band-gap insulating electronic profile. Its structural robustness and chemical versatility make it a significant material in high-temperature applications and energy research.

Due to its favorable stoichiometry, this compound is primarily utilized as a tritium breeder material in fusion reactor blankets. Its ability to maintain structural integrity under demanding conditions distinguishes it as a reliable candidate for advanced ceramic engineering and solid-state ionics.

At a glance

Key Properties

Cross-validated computational properties for Lithium orthosilicate, aggregated across 3 databases.

Band Gap

4.66–5.24 eV
Range across DFT structures

Energy Above Hull

0.000 eV/atom
Best (lowest) across sources

Stability

On hull (stable)
2 DFT sources

Structures

12
3 databases, 4 space groups
Synthesis

Synthesis Routes

Literature-extracted synthesis procedures targeting Li4SiO4.

Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Sol Gel
Procedure available · ceder_sol_gel
Uses

Applications

Where Lithium orthosilicate is used.

Tritium breeding in fusion reactorsSolid-state electrolyte researchCeramic materials science
Intellectual Property

Patent Landscape

1 patent reference Li4SiO4 or close compositional variants.

PatentTitleAssigneeGranted
12344532Methods for preparing two-dimensional sheet-like Li4SiO4 adsorbents using attapulgite and waste lithium batter
Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Lithium orthosilicate, answered from cross-validated data.

What is Li4SiO4?

Lithium orthosilicate is a stable, insulating ceramic material widely used as a tritium breeder in nuclear fusion technology.

More questions
What is Li4SiO4 used for?
Lithium orthosilicate (Li4SiO4) is used in tritium breeding in fusion reactors, solid-state electrolyte research, and ceramic materials science.
What is the band gap of Li4SiO4?
Lithium orthosilicate (Li4SiO4) has a DFT-computed band gap of 4.66–5.24 eV across 12 reported structures.
Is Li4SiO4 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
With a wide band gap up to 5.24 eV it is an insulator / wide-band-gap material.
Is Li4SiO4 thermodynamically stable?
Yes — Lithium orthosilicate (Li4SiO4) sits on the convex hull (energy above hull 0 eV/atom), i.e. on hull (stable).
How many polymorphs of Li4SiO4 are known?
12 structures of Li4SiO4 are reported across 3 databases, spanning 4 distinct space groups.
How is Li4SiO4 synthesized?
Literature-reported routes for Li4SiO4 include sol gel (10 procedures documented).
What elements does Li4SiO4 contain?
Lithium orthosilicate (Li4SiO4) contains Li, O, and Si (3 elements).
Where does the data for Li4SiO4 come from?
Li4SiO4 data is cross-referenced from latticegraph.
Comparison

How It Compares

Within the lithium oxides class.

Unlike the transition-metal-based lithium oxides such as LiCoO2 or LiNiO2, which are prized for their electrochemical activity in battery cathodes, Li4SiO4 functions primarily as a structural and functional ceramic. While its siblings like Li2TiO3 share its role in nuclear applications, Li4SiO4 is distinct for its insulating nature compared to the semi-conductive or metallic behavior often found in the cathode-active members of the lithium oxide family.

Explore

Related Compounds

Other Lithium Oxides in the database.

Data sources & attribution
  • latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform

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