From crystalline V2O5 to nanostructured vanadium oxides using aromatic amines as templates

Nanoneedles, nanorods of B-VO2, and vanadium oxide nanotubes with high crystallinity were synthesized via a one-step hydrothermal treatment using crystalline V2O5 as a precursor and aromatic amines (C6H5-(CH2)(n)-NH2 with n = 0, 1, 3) as structure-directing templates. Samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), thermal analysis, nitrogen adsorption/desorption isotherms and infrared spectroscopy. Nanoneedles, 0.5-5 mu m in length and about 50 nm in average diameter and VO2(B) nanorods about 20-100 nm wide and up to 2.5 mu m long, have been obtained. The inner and the outer diameters of the vanadium oxide nanotubes vary, respectively, between 15-25 and 70-100 nm with a length up to 4 mu m. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.