It is a hygroscopic white solid that decomposes at 465 °C to bismuth(III) oxysulfate and is isotypic to antimony(III) sulfate.
[1] Bismuth(III) sulfate is most commonly produced from the reaction of bismuth(III) nitrate and sulfuric acid: Another polymorph of bismuth(III) sulfate can be produced by the treatment of lithium bismuthate(III) with sulfuric acid.
[3] Bismuth(III) sulfate decomposes at 465 °C to Bi2O(SO4)2.
If continually heated, it decomposes to various bismuth oxysulfates and at 950 °C it decomposes to bismuth(III) oxide.
Bismuth(III) sulfate hydrolyzes in water.