Solutions and gels of one-dimensional metal oxides

Abstract

Preparing a metal-containing solution or gel includes combining a metal oxide and a liquid comprising a polar organic solvent to yield a mixture, wherein the metal oxide comprises hydrogen-bonded molecular chains, and each molecular chain comprises: a metal from Groups 4-6; at least one oxyanion of a main group element from Groups 15 and 16 bound to the metal through a polar covalent bond, wherein the at least one oxyanion is optionally protonated; and at least one water molecule bound to the metal through a polar covalent bond; and heating the mixture to yield a solution or gel comprising the polar organic solvent and the metal. The solution or gel can be acidic.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.