The Structure of Anisotropic Nb2O5 Nanocrystals

This proposal aims to study the intricacies in the structure of niobium pentoxide (Nb2O5) materials. When tested in batteries and supercapacitor devices, niobium pentoxide has shown promising properties. We have produced a high surface area, nano-structured niobium oxide material, with a structure that cannot be effectively identified using lab based techniques. We would like to use this opportunity to learn about the structure and probe how this it is related to the other crystalline phases that are already well defined. Understanding how the atoms are distributed will elude to paths and tunnels in which ions can move and thus energy can be stored. We suggest that with proper knowledge of its structure, there is significant opportunity for further improvement of its electrochemical properties.