Mechanisms of molybdenum substitution in vanadium antimonate

The formation of a solid solution containing the three elements V, Sb and Mo, which are key-elements in the design of light alkane oxidation catalysts, has been studied by incorporating molybdenum into the pure VSbO₄ compound as obtained in air at 700°C (V³⁺_0.28V⁴⁺_0.64□_0.16Sb⁵⁺_0.92O₄). Monophasic compounds with a rutile-type structure have been obtained and characterized by X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, Infrared Fourier transform, X-ray absorption and electron spin resonance spectroscopies. At low molybdenum content, Mo⁶⁺ substitute V⁴⁺ in the cationic-deficient structure. The charge balance is maintained by an increase of the cationic vacancy number. This leads to the formation of a solid solution corresponding to the formula V³⁺_0.28V⁴⁺_0.64−3xMo⁶⁺_2x□_0.16+xSb⁵⁺_0.92O₄ with 0<x<0.09. At higher molybdenum content, Mo⁵⁺ are stabilized and substitute Sb⁵⁺ in the rutile structure: V³⁺_0.28V⁴⁺_0.37Mo⁶⁺_0.18□_0.25Mo⁵⁺_ySb⁵⁺_0.9−yO₄ with 0<y<0.06. At higher molybdenum content the rutile phase is no longer stable and two new phases are formed: Sb₂O₄ and a new mixed vanadium molybdenum antimonate.