In order to obtain a highly acidic hydrated niobium oxide, the prepara
tion methods and conditions such as niobium precursors, precipitating
reagents, treatment of precipitates, washing of precipitates, final pH
in precipitation, and calcination temperature were systematically exa
mined. Strong acidic sites of H-0 less-than-or-equal-to -8.2 were foun
d to appear on hydrated niobium oxide when the oxide was prepared by b
oiling the precipitates, which were obtained by hydrolysis of niobium
oxalate with KOH, in a diluted mild acid solution(preferably 0.1N HNO3
) followed by washing with hot water several times and heating in air
at 300-degrees-C. Final pH in the precipitation must be below 11.