Synthesis of nanosized vanadium(v) oxide clusters below 10 nm

Vanadium oxide clusters with a mean diameter below 10 nm are investigated by high resolution Scanning Transmission Electron Microscopy (STEM), Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. The clusters are synthesised by sublimation from bulk vanadium(v) oxide, in combination with a pick-up by superfluid helium droplets. The latter act as reaction chambers which enable cluster growth under fully inert and solvent-free conditions. High-resolution STEM images of deposited vanadium oxide particles allowing for the determination of lattice constants, clearly indicate a dominating presence of V₂O₅. This finding is further supported by UV-vis absorption spectra of nanoparticles after deposition on fused silica substrates, which indicates that the oxidation state of the material is preserved over the entire process. From the results of the UV-vis measurement, the band gap of the nanosized V₂O₅ could be determined to be 3.3 eV. The synthesis approach provides a route to clean V₂O₅ clusters as it does not involve any surfactant or solvents, which is crucial for an unbiased measurement of intrinsic catalyst properties.