Hydrogen insertion on alkali metal decamolybdates by spillover

A hydrogen-insertion process by spillover on alkali metal decamolybdates was investigated in situ. Hydrogens were inserted, leading to the formation of OH groups. The insertion induced dehydration (release of the crystallization water of the molybdates), which resulted in distortions in the Mo-O framework. The dehydration behaviour varied depending on the kinds of decamolybdates or the manners in which the decamolybdates have crystallization-water species. Furthermore, structural changes of the resultant compounds with heat-treatments in N-2 were also investigated. It was then confirmed that these compounds could become starting materials, leading to the formation of alkali metal molybdenum bronzes at lower temperatures, ca. 200 K below those used in ordinary syntheses.