54
3 Metal Cluster Reacting with Oxygen
Fig. 3.12 a A typical Re-TOF mass spectrum of cationic V n O m
+ clusters obtained by using 10%
O 2 /He as buffer gas. b Proposed ternary-building-block mechanism for the formation of various
[(VO 2 ) X (VO 3 ) Y (VO) Z ] +
Considering that the (V 2 O 5 ) ï
+ series can also be expressed with further detailed
by VO 2 and VO 3 moieties, the five series can be actually summarized into
(VO) x (VO 2 ) y (VO 3 ) z
+ series. So, we can take them as basic elements or bricks, and
from each of these individual parts. At this point, a ternary-code-like mechanism
with general formula C x A y B z (A = VO 2 , B = VO 3 , C = VO) is proposed to elucidate the growth of V n O m
+ clusters (Fig. 3.12b). The availability to use VO
+ , VO 2
+
and VO 3
+ as basic units to chemically synthesize controllable V n O m
+ clusters brings
forth feasibility of ternary code-like cluster building of highly oxygen-rich vanadium
oxides for oxygen-exchange related catalysts and functional materials [74].