Non-catalytic hydrogenation of VO₂ in acid solution.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogenation is an effective way to tune the property of metal oxides. It can conventionally be performed by doping hydrogen into solid materials with noble-metal catalysis, high-temperature/pressure annealing treatment, or high-energy proton implantation in vacuum condition. Acid solution naturally provides a rich proton source, but it should cause corrosion rather than hydrogenation to metal oxides. Here we report a facile approach to hydrogenate monoclinic vanadium dioxide (VO₂) in acid solution at ambient condition by placing a small piece of low workfunction metal (Al, Cu, Ag, Zn, or Fe) on VO₂ surface. It is found that the attachment of a tiny metal particle (~1.0?mm) can lead to the complete hydrogenation of an entire wafer-size VO₂ (>2 inch). Moreover, with the right choice of the metal a two-step insulator-metal-insulator phase modulation can even be achieved. An electron-proton co-doping mechanism has been proposed and verified by the first-principles calculations.

SUBMITTER: Chen Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5827755 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature