Mechanochemical synthesis of rutile-type CrMO4 (M=V, Sb) and their solid solutions

Grinding a mixture of hydrous amorphous chromium oxide (Cr2O3·nH2O), vanadium oxide (V2O5) and antimony oxide (Sb2O5) was conducted by using a planetary ball mill, to investigate their mechanochemical reactions to form chromium vanadium oxide (CrVO4) and chromium antimony oxide (CrSbO4). The synthesis reactions proceed with an increase in grinding periods of time. The ground samples consist of agglomerates with particle size of about ten nanometers. The synthesized CrVO4 sample exhibits a rutile-type tetragonal crystal structure, which is a high pressure phase. Additionally, solid solutions, CrV1−xSbxO4 (image, image), have been synthesized mechanochemically from the mixtures of Cr2O3·nH2O, V2O5 and Sb2O5.