Journal of Molecular Catalysis A-Chemical, Vol.162, No.1-2, 317-334, 2000
On the role of hydrogen during the reduction-carburation of MoO3 into molybdenum oxycarbide
The presence of hydrogen is necessary to form the oxycarbide. (MoO2.4C0.2H0.8) from MoO3. This hydrogen should be dissociated either by traces of MoO2 or Pt in order to form a bronze, the precursor of the oxycarbide. This mechanism induces a topotactic formation of the new material, the (200) oxycarbide planes being parallel to the initial (0k0) planes of MoO3. In the absence of hydrogen only non-topotactic formation of MoO2 is observed.