Efeito do Método de Preparação na Formação do Pentóxido de Nióbio (Nb2O5) pelos Métodos de Precipitação e Hidrotermal

Resumo

Niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O₅) is an important semiconductor material used in electronic devices, to enhance RAM memory performance, and also in lithium-sulfur batteries to improve electrochemical performance. It also acts as a photocatalyst in the degradation of organic materials, such as dyes and pharmaceutical compounds, such as antibiotics. However, for its effective application, it is desirable to obtain Nb₂O₅ at the nanoscale with a narrow grain size distribution. Therefore, the aim of this work was to synthesize niobium pentoxide (Nb₂O₅) semiconductor nanoparticles using the precipitation synthesis method and microwave-assisted hydrothermal processing. The characterization methods used were X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for morphological analysis. XRD revealed the formation of a hexagonal crystalline phase. Raman spectroscopy revealed vibrational bands characteristic of Nb–O and Nb=O bonds. SEM showed the presence of spherical particles with uniform size and shape and a unimodal distribution, demonstrating the efficiency of the synthesis compared to other routes described in the literature. The hexagonal structure and morphology obtained are particularly desirable, since spherical particles offer a larger surface area, better packing during densification, and better sinterability, which enhances their use in the aforementioned applications. The synthesis methods employed proved to be highly efficient, reproducible, and capable of ensuring precise control over the structural and morphological characteristics of the material.