Compositional, microstructural, and vibrational characteristics of synthesized V2O5 microspheres with nanorod formation

Microspheres composed of vanadium pentoxide nanorods have been successfully synthesized using a single step solvothermal method. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) analysis were used to characterize the morphology of the nanorod-like structures. The results show that the microspheres have an average diameter of 3.5 mu m and that the diameter of the nanorods, of which these microspheres consist, ranges from 150 to 200 nm. Chemical and phase composition of the microspheres was analyzed using X-ray Photoemission Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Selective Area Electron Diffraction (SAED). XRD patterns show that the nanorods are composed of V2O5 phase. The SAED patterns confirm the polycrystalline nature of V2O5 phase in the samples. The XPS spectra indicate that the surface of the microsphere samples consist predominantly of vanadium in its V5+ oxidation state. Vibrational analysis was done using Raman spectroscopy and Fourier transform Infrared spectroscopy and the results further confirm the formation of V2O5 phase. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.