Intercalation compounds of vanadium pentoxide hydrated with metalporphyrins and lanthanide ions

The lamellar structure of the vanadium pentoxide matrix allows the intercalation of organic molecules, ions and conductor polymers. It is important to emphasize that the vanadium oxide matrix is an intrinsic semiconductor and presents electrochromic properties. In the beginning of this work the method of synthesis and the electrochemical and electrochromic properties were extensively explored. The effect of alkaline metal and lanthanide ions on the structure of vanadium oxide matrix was studied by X-ray and infrared spectroscopy. Moreover, the influence of those ions in the electrochemical, spectro electrochemical and magnetic properties were studied. Finally, some intercalation compounds containing porphyrins were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction, and electronic, vibrational, Moessbauer and X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. The electrochemical and spectro electrochemical properties were investigated. And the performance of an iron porphyrin based intercalation compound as catalyst for molecular oxygen reduction was evaluated using the rotating ring-disc electrode technique. (author)