vanadiumoxygen

Vanadium oxide refers to a family of inorganic compounds composed of vanadium and oxygen, spanning several stoichiometries and oxidation states. The principal oxides include VO, V2O3, VO2, and V2O5, corresponding to vanadium in oxidation states ranging from +2 to +5. Many vanadium oxides are nonstoichiometric and exhibit mixed-valence behavior, leading to a variety of electronic, magnetic, and structural properties.

VO is a black solid with a rock-salt–type structure and serves as a basic vanadium oxide phase. VO2 is famous for a reversible metal–insulator transition near 68 degrees Celsius, where it changes from a monoclinic to a rutile structure and undergoes a dramatic change in electrical conductivity and optical properties. V2O3 has a corundum-related structure at room temperature and shows metal-like conductivity under certain conditions, with phase transitions influenced by temperature and pressure. V2O5 is a yellow-orange powder that forms layered, zero-dimensional and one-dimensional structural motifs in reduced forms; it is widely used as a catalyst and as an active material in energy storage research.

Applications of vanadium oxides are diverse. V2O5 is a key catalyst in the oxidation of sulfur dioxide to sulfur trioxide in the industrial production of sulfuric acid and participates in various oxidative reactions. VO2 and other vanadium oxides are studied for smart window coatings, electrochromic devices, and as electrode materials in lithium- and sodium-ion batteries. Vanadium oxides are also investigated as pigments and in various catalytic and electrochemical contexts due to their redox versatility.

Safety considerations include potential health hazards from oxide dusts and fumes; inhalation or ingestion should be avoided, and appropriate handling procedures and protective equipment should be used.