Application of AXAFS Spectroscopy to Transition‐Metal Oxides: Influence of the Nearest and Next Nearest Neighbour Shells in Vanadium Oxides

Abstract The influence of changes in coordination number, interatomic distances, and oxidation state on the intensity and centroid position of the Fourier transform (FT) of the atomic X‐ray absorption fine structure (AXAFS) peak of vanadium oxide bulk model compounds and alumina‐supported vanadium oxide clusters has been investigated. Using Na 3 VO 4 and V 2 O 5 as model compounds, it has been shown that the nearest neighbour shells have a pronounced influence on the AXAFS intensity; specifically, a 40 % decrease in intensity was observed between these two compounds. Secondly, the influence of partial reduction of the vanadium oxide species has been determined; this led to a 50 % decrease in the AXAFS intensity and to an increase in the centroid position. Furthermore, the influence of the vanadium oxide loading has been assessed. A non‐linear relationship between the vanadium oxide loading and the AXAFS intensity has been found, indicating that the AXAFS intensity is sensitive to the formation of VOV bridging bonds between the vanadium VO 4 clusters. The results show that AXAFS can be used to probe the relative energy level of the vanadium valence orbitals.