One-pot Hydrothermal Synthesis of Vanadium Dioxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) shows excellent thermochromic properties suitable for potential application in optical devices and smart windows coating. VO2 is interesting since actual coating on glass materials is possible along with large-scale production. This paper, VO2 nanoparticles were synthesized successfully using the sol-gel-assisted hydrothermal method. The as-prepared VO2 nanoparticles were annealed under vacuum, and the crystal phase formation, composition, morphology, and metal-insulator phase transition properties of the nanoparticles were studied. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) spectra revealed that a purely monoclinic phase of VO2 nanoparticles with an average crystallite size of 33.27 nm was synthesized. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs also confirmed the formation of crystalline VO2 nanoparticles. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) curve shows that the change in temperature (∆T_c) between the exothermic and endothermic peaks is 13ºC. Moreover, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy peaks ascertain the presence of VO2 functional groups in the synthesized nanoparticles.