| Novel low temperature solution phase methods were developed for the synthesis of the hydrogen molybdenum bronzes and sodium hydrogen molybdenum bronzes resulting in yields of 95.6 % and 78.0%, respectively. It was discovered, based on analysis of reducing equivalents, that the sodium bronze was in fact a hydrogen bronze with sodium molybdenum oxide centers and has the general formula of NaxH0.5-xMoO3·2xH 2O, where x ∼ 0.25. This sodium hydrogen bronze disproportionates in aqueous media to a more sodium-rich, proton-poor species, with x ∼ 0.40 and a correspondingly reduced reduction capacity of 0.10 mEq/mole. The aqueous sodium species was used as a colorimetric reagent for the detection of aqueous chlorine, a test strip for detection of peroxide explosives, and a discriminating reagent for differentiation of peroxide and chlorate explosives. The bulk sodium species was used in an electronic device for detection of peroxide vapor. The bulk hydrogen bronze was used as a reagent for the reduction of chromate in groundwater and wastewater. It was immune to chromium hydroxide fouling experienced by a nanometric iron reagent at high pH. A sulfur dioxide-free solution phase method was developed for processing copper sulfide ore using alkali metal molybdates, resulting in a copper recovery of 97.4 %. Additionally, a new catalytic method was discovered and developed for the disproportionation of sulfite to elemental sulfur and sulfate using catalysts derived from the hydrogen bronzes and from iron molybdates. |
