Nanocomposites with the layered structure of V2O5 · nH2O xerogel

New layered nanocomposites of V₂O₅ · nH₂O xerogels with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), pyrocatechol (PC), and hydroquinone (HQ) were synthesized with the compositions (C₂H₃)_0.32V₂O_4.90 · nH₂O, (C₆H₄)_xV₂O_4.60 · nH₂O, and (C₆H₄)_0.17V₂O_4.94 · nH₂O and the interlayer distances d ₀₀₁ = 11.73, 12.85, and 15.28 ± 0.05 Å, respectively. IR and Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze which structural changes occur in the V-O layers of the xerogel upon composite formation. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed V⁴⁺ and V⁵⁺ ions in the layers with binding energies lower than in V₂O₅ · nH₂O. The electrical conductivity of the nanofilms and the thermal properties of the nanopowders were studied.