TOPOTACTIC SYNTHESIS OF VANADIUM NITRIDE SOLID FOAMS

Vanadium nitride has been synthesized with a surface area of 120 m2 g- 1 by temperature programmed nitridation of a foam-like vanadium oxide (35 m2 g-1), precipitated from vanadate solutions. The nitridation rea ction was established to be topotactic and pseudomorphous by x-ray pow der diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The crystallographic relationship between the nitride and oxide was {200}//{001}. The effe ct of precursor geometry on the product size and shape was investigate d by employing vanadium oxide solids of different morphologies.