Competitive Redox Chemistries in Vanadium Niobium Oxide for Ultrafast and Durable Lithium Storage

Niobium pentoxide(Nb_(2)O_(5))anodes have gained increasing attentions for high-power lithium-ion batteries owing to the outstanding rate capability and high safety.However,Nb2O5 anode suffers poor cycle stability even after modified and the unrevealed mechanisms have restricted the practical applications.Herein,the over-reduction of Nb5+has been demonstrated to be the critical reason for the capacity loss for the first time.Besides,an effective competitive redox strategy has been developed to solve the rapid capacity decay of Nb_(2)O_(5),which can be achieved by the incorporation of vanadium to form a new rutile VNbO_(4)anode.The highly reversible V^(3+)/V^(2+)redox couple in VNbO_(4)can effectively inhibit the over-reduction of Nb^(5+).Besides,the electron migration from V^(3+)to Nb5+can greatly increase the intrinsic electronic conductivity for VNbO4.As a result,VNbO4 anode delivers a high capacity of 206.1 mAh g^(−1)at 0.1 A g^(−1),as well as remarkable cycle performance with a retention of 93.4%after 2000 cycles at 1.0 A g^(−1).In addition,the assembled lithium-ion capacitor demonstrates a high energy density of 44 Wh kg^(−1)at 5.8 kW kg^(−1).In summary,our work provides a new insight into the design of ultra-fast and durable anodes.

Integrated adsorption and photocatalytic removal of methylene blue dye from aqueous solution by hierarchical Nb_(2)O_(5)@PAN/PVDF/ANO composite nanofibers

This work presents the development of hierarchical niobium pentoxide(Nb_(2)O_(5))-based composite nanofiber membranes for integrated adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue(MB)pollutants from aqueous solutions.The Nb_(2)O_(5) nanorods were vertically grown using a hydrothermal process on a base electrospun nanofibrous membrane made of polyacrylonitrile/polyvinylidene fluoride/ammonium niobate(V)oxalate hydrate(Nb_(2)O_(5)@PAN/PVDF/ANO).They were characterized using field-emission scanning electron microscopy(FE-SEM),X-ray diffraction(XRD)analysis,and Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy.These composite nanofibers possessed a narrow optical bandgap energy of 3.31 eV and demonstrated an MB degradation efficiency of 96%after 480 min contact time.The pseudo-first-order kinetic study was also conducted,in which Nb_(2)O_(5)@PAN/PVDF/ANO nanofibers have kinetic constant values of 1.29×10^(-2) min^(-1) and 0.30×10^(-2) min^(-1) for adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of MB aqueous solutions,respectively.These values are 17.7 and 7.8 times greater than those of PAN/PVDF/ANO nanofibers without Nb_(2)O_(5) nanostructures.Besides their outstanding photocatalytic performance,the developed membrane materials exhibit advantageous characteristics in recycling,which subsequently widen their practical use in environmental remediation applications.

Preparation of niobium nanoparticles by sodiothermic reduction of Nb_2O_5 in molten salts

Niobium nanoparticles with high purity were prepared by a sodiothermic reduction process using Nb2O5 as the raw material, LiCl, NaCl, KCl and CaCl2 as the diluents and sodium as the reducing reagent. The effects of the different molten salt systems, CaCl2 content, reaction time, excessive sodium and reaction temperature on the characteristics of the obtained niobium powder were discussed. The as-prepared niobium nanoparticles under the optimum experimental conditions were obtained by sodiothermic reduction with 20% excessive sodium in the NaCl-52mol%CaCl2- 2mol%Nb2O5 molten salts at 650 ℃for 6 h, and the molar ratio of the oxygen element in Nb2O5 and the CaCl2 of the molten salts is less than 19.23% at 750 ℃. Moreover, the particle size of niobium nanoparticles is ranged about 40~240 nm with increasing of reaction temperature from 650 to 800 ℃.

Nb_2O_5-carbon core-shell nanocomposite as anode material for lithium ion battery

Nb2O5-carbon nanocomposite is synthesized through a facile one-step hydrothermal reaction from sucrose as the carbon source, and stuclled as an anode material for high-performance lithium ion battery. The structural characterizations reveal that the nanocomposite possesses a core-shell structure with a thin layer of carbon shell homogeneously coated on the Nb2O5 nanocrystals. Such a unique structure enables the composite electrode with a long cycle life by preventing the Nb2O5 from volume change and pulverization during the charge-discharge process. In addition, the carbon shell efficiently improves the rate capability. Even at a current density of 500 mA.g-1, the composite electrode still exhibits a specific capacity of ~100 mAh.g-1. These results suggest the possibility to utilize the Nb2O5-carbon core-shell composite as a high performance anode material in the practical application of lithium ion battery.

Upconversion 32Nb_(2)O_(5)-10La_(2)O_(3)-16ZrO_(2) glass activated with Er^(3+)/Yb^(3+) and dye sensitized solar cell application

Er^(3+)/Yb^(3+)codoped niobium pentoxide glasses were fabricated by the aerodynamic levitation(ADL)method with rapid cooling rate.All samples with various doping concentrations showed good upconversion luminescence properties under 980 nm laser excitation.The structure,transmittance spectrum,and luminescence properties of the samples were systemically investigated by XRD,UV-Vis-NIR spectrophotometer,and upconversion spectra.All transparent samples exhibited green and red upconversion emissions centered at 532,547,and 670 nm.Experimental results showed that the sample codoped with 1 mol%Er^(3+)/Yb^(3+)has the strongest upconversion emissions,and the increase of the doped Yb^(3+)concentration results in the increased red emission and reduced green emission.The logI-logP plot of green emission indicated that the green emissions reach the saturation at high pump power excitation,deviating from the low-power regime.After one-photon energy transfer(ET)process,^(4)I_(11/2)+^(4)I_(11/2)→^(4)F_(7/2)+^(4)I_(15/2) process between the two neighboring Er^(3+)ions was responsible for the population of the 4S3/2/4H11/2 states.The niobium pentoxide codoped with Er^(3+)/Yb^(3+)bulk glasses could be used in the dye sensitized solar cell(DSSC)to improve the efficiency.

Factors Influencing the Direct Electrochemical Reduction of Nb_2O_5 Pellets to Nb Metal in Molten Chloride Salts

Powder compacted and sintered Nb205 pellets were cathodically polarised against graphite anode in calcium chloride melt at 1173 K to study the influence of various factors on the electrochemical reduction of the oxide. The parameters were; duration and temperature of electrolysis, open porosity of pellets, nature of anode, mode of electrolysis and configuration of the oxide cathode. The experiments were also conducted in KC1, KC1-25 tool% CaC12 and NaC1 melts to understand the effect of melt composition on the electroreduction. Different Ca-Nb-O and Nb-O intermediates were found in the pellets electrolysed for different durations of time in CaC12 melt which eventually reduced to Nb. The current efficiency of the process decreased with increasing duration of electrolysis. Decrease in electrolysis temperature from 1 173 to 1073 K led to the decrease in the rate of reduction of the oxide pellets. Pellets with high open porosity reduced faster. Carbon contamination of the melt was relatively less when pyrolytic graphite was used as anode. Of all the melts studied, the reduction was found to be better in calcium chloride melt, that too when alumina crucible was used as container of the melt.

Heterojunction architecture of Nb_(2)O_(5)/g-C_(3)N_(4)for enhancing photocatalytic activity to degrade organic pollutants and deactivate bacteria in water

Water pollution has become a serious problem owing to the development of society.Photocatalysis is a promising approach to remove various pollutants in water,such as organic pollutants and antibiotic resistance bacteria.Meanwhile,the design of heterojunction between two semiconductors is an effective path to improve photocatalytic properties due to its potential in improving separation and transfer of photoinduced carriers.In this study,Nb_(2)O_(5)/g-C_(3)N_(4)(NO/CN)composite materials were prepared through a one-step heating method.Characterizations confirmed successful preparation of NO/CN heterojunction structure and better optical properties than pure g-C_(3)N_(4) and Nb_(2)O_(5).NO/CN composite materials showed excellent photocatalytic efficiency for Escherichia coli(E.coli)inactivation(95%)compared with the pure Nb_(2)O_(5)(10%) and g-C_(3)N_(4)(77%).Meanwhile,NO/CN exhibited better organic pollutants removal(Rh B for94%,methyl orange(MO)for 15%and methylene blue(MB)for 87%)under visible light,which is likely owing to the heterojunction structure between g-C_(3)N_(4) and Nb_(2)O_(5) that leads to the good separation of photogenerated electron-hole pair.Free radical scavenging and electron spin resonance(ESR)experiments demonstrated that superoxide radicals(·O_(2)^(-)) and holes(h^(+)) were the dominant radicals.Therefore,the NO/CN was proposed to be a promising material for effective disinfection and removal of organic contaminants in water treatment.