Molybdenum Oxide-Based Composites

Conditions for the production of MoO2/C and MoO3/C composites by the hydrothermal treatment of mixtures of peroxomolybdic and tartaric acids followed by annealing in an inert atmosphere were studied. The phase compositions, crystal structures, morphology, thermal stability, and textural characteristics of the synthesized compounds were determined. The molar ratio of the precursors in the reaction mass is the key parameter that determines the composition, structure, textural and thermal properties of a composite. A formation scheme of MoO2/C and MoO3/C. composites was suggested. Their usefulness as the active materials in solid-phase ion-selective electrodes for determining the potassium ion concentration in solution was shown. The MoO2/C nanocomposite-based electrodes show stable performance and exhibit a potassium function in the range 1 <= pC(K+) <= 5 at working solution acidities of 5 <= pH <= 6 with a slope equal to similar to 54 mV/pC(K+). The selectivity coefficients of the electrodes in the series of singly and doubly charged cations were determined.