Synthesis and characterization of Na/Li containing vanadium oxides

Abstract

Our attempt to synthesize Na2V3O7 and LiVO3 by using template free modified solvothermal methods with ethylene glycol-water solvent system (EG:H2O; 2:1 v/v) followed by calcination at 500 °C in air have resulted in the formation of NaV6O15 admixed with NaV3O8, phase pure NaV6O15 and Li0.6V1.6O3.67.H2O. The compounds are being analyzed using P-XRD and FE-SEM. NaV6O15 crystallizes in the A2/m space group with a monoclinic crystal structure while Li0.6V1.6O3.67.H2O crystallizes in the I4/mmm space group with a tetragonal crystal structure. Refined lattice parameters of NaV6O15 are a = 10.151(5), b = 3.606(2), c = 15.581(1) A, β = 109.45o and Li0.6V1.6O3.67.H2O are a = 3.712(1), c = 15.96(1) A. The phase pure NaV6O15 and NaV3O8 admixed NaV6O15 have rod shaped morphology with an average length of 7 μm and diameter of 0.5 μm.