Phase evolution of vanadium oxides obtained through temperature programmed calcinations of ammonium vanadate in hydrogen atmosphere and their humidity sensing properties

The possibility of obtaining vanadium dioxide (VO2) [wherein the vanadium ionic state is 4(+)] from a precursor of ammonium metavanadate (NH4VO3) bearing the ion V5+ is investigated. The reduction is carried out by calcining the NH4VO3 powders in similar concentrations of H-2 flow at varying temperatures. The resulting powders have been studied by several techniques including XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, TEM, BET and DSC. It is found that remnants of bright yellow V5+ still exist up to calcination temperatures of 100 degrees C after which the sky-blue VO2 dominates at calcination temperatures of 150 degrees C -250 degrees C. There is a population surge of metastable dark-blue V6O13 (where V is in between V4+ and V5+ ionic states) between 250 degrees C and 300 degrees C. However above 350 degrees C the material reverts to the stable V5+ in the yellow orange V2O5. XPS/EDS and VSM confirm the order of appearance to be VO2(150 degrees C) -> V6O13(200 degrees C) -> V2O5 (350 degrees C). (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.