Reactions of liquid sodium with transition-metal oxides. Part VI. Oxides of vanadium

Abstract

Vanadium pentoxide is reduced by liquid sodium to the oxide V₂O₃ and sodium oxide at low temperatures (150 °C). On increasing the temperature (up to 600 °C) the ternary oxides Na₄VO₄ and NaVO₂ are produced. Vanadium dioxide reacts at 150 °C to form the oxide NaVO₂ which is stable to liquid sodium up to 600 °C. Vanadium(III) oxide, V₂O₃, reacts with liquid sodium to give a mixture of the ternary oxide, NaVO₂, and the monoxide, VO; the latter oxide is stable to pure liquid sodium up to 600 °C but may be oxidised by solutions of oxygen in liquid sodium to NaVO₂ which may be further oxidised by oxygen in sodium to Na₄VO₄.