Crystal growth of mixed‐valence ammonium vanadates

Abstract A new method has been developed for the synthesis of mixed‐valence ammonium vanadate crystals. Single crystals of (NH4)2V3O8 were synthesized on a large scale by hydrothermal reduction of NH4VO3 in ethanol‐H2O solutions in the presence of triblock copolymer Pluronic P123. The crystals are shining thin plates with (001) cleavage planes. Calcination of the (NH4)2V3O8 crystals at 300°C or above resulted in pure phases of V2O5. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)