Patent ID: 7341705

Claim:
A method of producing NbO x consisting essentially of the sequential steps of A) producing NbO y , wherein 1.8<y<2.1, by reducing niobium pentoxide under flowing hydrogen at a hydrogen partial pressure of 50 to 1100 mbar, the temperature during the reduction of the pentoxide to form the dioxide is to be gradually increased from a starting temperature in the range from 1,000° C. to 1,100° C. to a temperature in the range from 1300° C. to 1600° C. the temperature in the range of 1300° C. to 1600° C. being a maximum temperature, and the NbO y is held at a temperature of from 900° C. to 1600° C. in order to stabilize and densify the NbO y lattice and then B) reacting said NbO y with a stoichiometric quantity of niobium metal, in the presence of hydrogen, wherein for NbO x , 0.7<x<1.3, said.