Core-Shell Vanadium Oxide-Carbon Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Luminescence Properties

A single step, solvent-, catalyst-, and template-free synthesis process to prepare core-shell vanadium oxide-carbon nanoparticles from the dissociation of a single vanadium(V) oxytriethoxide precursor is demonstrated. The thermolysis of the VO(OC2H5)(3) precursor in a closed reactor at 700 degrees C under autogenic pressure (450 psi) yielded carbon-coated V2O3 (CVO) nanoparticles. Further thermal treatment of CVO in an air atmosphere at 450 degrees C for 2 h yielded V2O5 nanoparticles (VON). The rhombohedral V2O3 and orthorhombic V2O5 crystal structures are confirmed by XRD measurement, supported by supplementary TEM and Raman spectroscopy measurements. The overall appearance of CVO and VON is studied by SEM, whereas the TEM distinguished the core-shell morphologies. The photoluminescence (PL) of vanadium oxide has been seldom studied before. The VON showed a room-temperature PL with a broad green emission, whereas the coated carbon in CVO lacks the green emission, revealing only a weak PL.