Synthesis and characterization of layered bismuth vanadates

Bi2VO5.5(Bi4O11), which is the vanadium analog of the first member of the Aurivillius family of oxides of the general formula Bi2An−1BnO3n+3, has been prepared and characterized. The vanadate has the expected layered structure and is ferroelectric with a Curie temperature of 720 K. While we have not been able to synthesize the vanadium analog of the n=2 member of the Aurivillius family, we have examined the structure and properties of a vanadate of the composition Bi2V3O9