Synthesis and characterization Of SiO2-Nb2O5 systems prepared by the sol-gel method:: structural stability studies

X-Ray diffraction (XRD), N-2 absorption (BET specific surface area), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman and Fourier infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopic techniques have been applied to characterize the texture, structure and niobia-silica interaction of SiO2-Nb2O5 systems prepared by the sol-gel method containing different amounts of Nb2O5 and calcined at temperatures between 393 and 1473 K. For a small loading of niobia, amorphous niobium species were well dispersed in the silica LIP to 1273 K. Crystallization is observed only after thermal treatment at 1473 K, with the T-phase predominating as observed by XRD and TEM analyses and confirmed by Raman spectra. For samples with a higher amount of niobia. the formation of a T-Nb2O5 phase was observed at 1273 K, and the H-Nb2O5 phase predominates at 1473 K. FT-IR results indicate the presence of Si-O-Nb linkages at the silica-niobia interface, formed during preparation, which are responsible for the higher structural stability of the SiO2-Nb2O5 system. The stability of the SiO2-Nb2O5 system is confirmed by obtaining high specific surface areas even after the high temperature of calcination.