Silica based ceramics are some of the most fundamental in crystal chemistry. The cristobalite form of silica has two modifications, α (low temperature, tetragonal form) and β (high temperature, cubic form). This paper describes our structural studies of unusual chemically stabilized cristobalite (CSC) material, a room temperature silica-based ceramic containing small amounts of dopants, prepared by a wet chemical route. It displays many of the structural charatcteristics of the high temperature β-cristobalite (∼270°C), but does not undergo phase inversion to α-cristobalite upon cooling. The Structure of α-cristobalite is well established, but that of β is not yet fully understood.Compositions with varying Ca/Al ratio and substitutions in cristobalite were prepared in the series, CaO:Al2O3:SiO2 : 3-x: x : 40, with x= 0-3. For CSC, a clear sol was prepared from Du Pont colloidal silica, Ludox AS-40®, aluminium nitrate nonahydrate, and calcium nitrate hexahydrate in proportions to form a final composition 1:2:40 composition.
