Published online by Cambridge University Press: 07 May 2014
The monoclinic-to-tetragonal phase transition (~70 °C) in vanadium dioxide (VO2) strongly impacts the infrared properties, which enables its use in applications such as smart window devices. Synthesis of VO2 can be challenging due to the variability of vanadium oxide phases that may be formed. We have employed high-temperature X-ray diffraction (HTXRD) to monitor the reaction process of vanadium oxide precursor powders to form the desired tetragonal VO2 phase. Single-phase tetragonal VO2 was formed within 30 min at 420 °C in flowing N2 gas (~50 ppm O2). The monoclinic-to-tetragonal phase transformation was observed via HTXRD at ~70 °C with the typical ~10 °C hysteresis (i.e. approached from above or below the transition).