Furthering the Reaction Mechanism of Cationic Vanadium Clusters towards Oxygen

Vanadium is a polyvalent metal element. The fact that V-O bears a much larger bond energy than V-V metal bond challenges the preparation of pure vanadium clusters and the observation of their reactions with oxygen-containing chemicals. Utilizing a customized reflection time-of-flight mass spectrometer (Re-TOFMS), here we have prepared well-resolved small and large cationic vanadium clusters Vn+ (n<30), on which we conducted a comprehensive study on the reactivity with oxygen. It is illustrated that, cationic Vn+ clusters readily react with oxygen leading to the production of both etched building blocks and oxygen-rich VnOm+(nn+ clusters with oxygen, interprets the readily formed VnOm+ clusters within classification of CxAyBz series (A=VO2, B=VO3, C=VO), and enriches the understanding of industrial chemistry of vanadium.