Elucidating the Band Structure of Vanadium Pentoxide Nanoparticles Via Soft X-Ray Spectroscopy

Vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles are recognized for their catalytic properties, including water-splitting photocatalysis, and also serve as promising candidates for multivalent ion battery cathodes. In both instances, nanostructuring has been shown to directly enable or improve efficacy compared to bulk V₂O₅. However, in spite of their popularity as a research subject, little remains known about the fundamental changes in electronic band structure brought about by V₂O₅ nanostructuring. Here, ultra-small, monodisperse vanadium pentoxide nanoparticles are first characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy and X-Ray Diffraction. For the first time to our knowledge, soft x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), x-ray emission spectroscopy (XES), and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering (RIXS) are then used to reveal a holistic, detailed portrait of nanoparticle conduction and valence bands. This data is directly compared to that of the bulk material, and observed changes are discussed.