Notes. An X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of the surface properties of vanadium antimonate and β-antimony tetroxide

Abstract

X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy shows that non-stoicheiometric rutile-type vanadium antimonates prepared by solid-state reactions between antimony(III) oxide and vanadium(V) oxide are enriched at the surface in antimony. The observations are discussed and related to the superficial enrichment in antimony which occurs in other solids with rutile-type structures but prepared by different methods. The spectra from β-antimony tetroxide containing low concentrations of vanadium are consistent with the incorporation of vanadium within the bulk and associated with the low-temperature stabilisation of this phase. The thermally induced outgrowth from ‘β-antimony tetroxide’ formed by decomposition of vanadium antimonate is related to a surface reaction with vanadium(V) oxide and the subsequent development of a crystalline vanadium antimonate outgrowth.