Facile synthesis of pyridine intercalated ultra-long V2O5nanowire from commercial V2O5: catalytic applications in selective dye degradation

Abstract

The synthesis of exclusive ultra-long nanowire (NW) mediated by the inherent intercalative properties of vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) has been reported using a pyridine–nitric acid (Py–HNO3) system. It is worth noting that the introduction of HNO3 in the reaction mixture as an additive with pyridine generates vanadium oxide with only the V(+V) oxidation state, as ascertained from XPS analysis, whereas pyridine itself produces vanadium oxide with V with mixed valences. The method is proved to be an energy efficient, and time and cost effective proposition for the production of an industrially important oxidant without any surfactant or template. Then, the as-produced V2O5 leads to the efficient oxidative degradation of dyes without the use of any extra oxidising agent. It has been shown that the oxidation of the dyes complies with the electrostatically allowed ‘adsorption–oxidation–desorption’ mechanism.