Reactions of the oxides of vanadium with liquid potassium

Abstract

The reactions of the oxides V₂O₅, V₂O₃, VO₂, and VO with liquid potassium have been studied at temperatures up to 400 °C. The oxides V₂O₅ and VO₂ react at 63 °C (the m.p. of potassium); V₂O₃ at 180 °C; and VO was found not to react at up to 400 °C. The new compound KVO₂ was identified as the only reaction product of the dioxide VO₂ with liquid potassium. The pentoxide V₂O₅ and the oxide V₂O₃ gave the oxides VO and KVO₂ as reaction products, but both these compounds were found to oxidise to the ternary oxide K₃VO₄ in the presence of dissolved oxygen in the liquid metal. The behaviour of liquid potassium towards the oxides of vanadium is compared with the other alkali metals, lithium and sodium.