Nb2O5
Niobium pentoxide · Niobia
Niobium pentoxide is a stable, semiconducting metal oxide widely utilized in optical coatings, capacitors, and electrochromic smart glass technologies.
About Niobium pentoxide
Niobium pentoxide is a thermodynamically stable refractory-metal oxide that serves as a cornerstone material in modern materials science. Characterized by its semiconducting electronic nature, this compound is highly valued for its chemical robustness and structural diversity, with numerous distinct phases documented across research databases. Its ability to undergo reversible coloration makes it a primary candidate for smart window technologies and advanced electrochromic displays. Beyond its electronic applications, the material is prized for its high refractive index and excellent dielectric properties, which are essential for the production of high-performance optical components and capacitors. Its inherent stability ensures long-term reliability in demanding industrial environments where thermal and chemical resistance are critical.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Niobium pentoxide, aggregated across 4 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Applications
Where Niobium pentoxide is used.
Patent Landscape
6 patents reference Nb2O5 or close compositional variants.
| Patent | Title | Assignee | Granted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9464005 | Dielectric ceramic composition comprising Bi2O3, ZnO, Nb2O5 and V2O5, dielectric ceramic, electronic device, a | — | — |
| 9183993 | One-pot synthesis of Nb2O5-doped TiO2 nanoparticles | — | — |
| 7297646 | Ceramics comprising Al2O3, REO, ZrO2 and/or HfO2, and Nb2O5 and/or Ta2O5 and methods of making the same | — | — |
| 12403456 | Non-noble CuO-CeO2/Nb2O5 catalysts for low-temperature oxidation of carbon monoxide | — | — |
| 7141523 | Ceramics comprising Al2O3, REO, ZrO2 and/or HfO2, and Nb2O5 and/or Ta2O5 and methods of making the same | — | — |
| 8236719 | Sintered and doped product based on zircon + Nb2O5 or Ta2O5 | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Niobium pentoxide, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Nb2O5?
Niobium pentoxide is a stable, semiconducting metal oxide widely utilized in optical coatings, capacitors, and electrochromic smart glass technologies.
What is Nb2O5 used for?
What is the band gap of Nb2O5?
Is Nb2O5 a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Nb2O5 thermodynamically stable?
How many polymorphs of Nb2O5 are known?
What elements does Nb2O5 contain?
Where does the data for Nb2O5 come from?
How It Compares
Within the electrochromic and refractory-metal oxides class.
Within the family of refractory-metal oxides, Nb2O5 stands out for its superior thermodynamic stability compared to more volatile or easily reduced counterparts like MoO3 or V2O5. While it shares the electrochromic utility found in WO3, niobium pentoxide often provides a distinct balance of optical clarity and structural resilience, making it a preferred choice for specialized thin-film applications where the phase complexity of Nb4O8 or NbO2 might be less desirable.
Related Compounds
Other Electrochromic and Refractory-Metal Oxides in the database.
Data sources & attribution
- latticegraph — Lattice Graph Materials Intelligence Platform
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