Crystalline Framework Material Containing Arrays of Vanadium Oxide Nanoclusters: A Polyoxovanadate Framework with Room Temperature NOx Sensing Properties

Transition metal oxide clusters provide attractive building blocks for synthesizing new materials with interesting structural, electronic, and magnetic properties. An interesting framework structure material [CdII3(H2O)12VIV16VV2O36(OH)6(AO4)]·24H2O (A = V, S), 1, composed of three-dimensional arrays of vanadium oxide nanoclusters {V18O42(AO4)} interconnected by {-O–Cd–O-} bridging groups, has been prepared and characterized. Compound 1, whose structure is resolved at the atomic level by single crystal X-ray structure analysis, exhibits properties suitable for gas sensing applications. Sensor devices fabricated from 1 show promising sensing properties for detecting environmentally detrimental {NOx} (NO and NO2) gases with good sensitivity and reversibility. This is a rare example of a polyoxometalate-based material showing room temperature NOx sensing properties.