Anisotropic oxidation of crystallites of vanadyl pyrophosphate

Anisotropic oxidation of crystallites of vanadyl pyrophosphate ((VO)₂P₂O₇) has been demonstrated by Raman spectroscopy with samples having different microstructures. Oxidation of these samples by O₂ produced X₁ phase,- and-VOPO₄ phases. The relative peak intensity of the X₁ phase to the other phases correlated well with the ratio of the (100) plane to the side planes (surface area-basis). This correlation showed that the (100) plane was oxidized to X₁ phase and the side planes to- and-VOPO₄. For example, thin plate-like (VO)₂P₂O₇, of which the (100) fraction is 98%, was oxidized almost exclusively to X₁ phase. But when it was fractured into small plates to increase the side planes and then oxidized,- and-VOPO₄ were detected in addition to the X₁ phase. These results are consistent with our previous conclusion that the (100) plane of (VO)₂P₂O₇ is selective, but side planes are non-selective for catalytic oxidation ofn-butane.