Sub-50 nm perovskite-type tantalum-based oxynitride single crystals with enhanced photoactivity for water splitting.

A long-standing trade-off exists between improving crystallinity and minimizing particle size in the synthesis of perovskite-type transition-metal oxynitride photocatalysts via the thermal nitridation of commonly used metal oxide and carbonate precursors. Here, we overcome this limitation to fabricate ATaON (A = Sr, Ca, Ba) single nanocrystals with particle sizes of several tens of nanometers, excellent crystallinity and tunable long-wavelength response via thermal nitridation of mixtures of tantalum disulfide, metal hydroxides (A(OH)), and molten-salt fluxes (e.g.

Enhanced Overall Water Splitting by a Zirconium-Doped TaON-Based Photocatalyst.

Solar-powered one-step-excitation overall water splitting (OWS) using semiconducting materials is a simple means of achieving scalable and sustainable hydrogen production. While tantalum oxynitride (TaON) is one of the few photocatalysts capable of promoting OWS via single-step visible-light excitation, the efficiency of this process remains extremely poor. The present work employed 15 nm amorphous Ta O ⋅3.

Origin of the overall water splitting activity of TaN revealed by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy.

Tantalum nitride (TaN) is one of the few visible light absorbing photocatalysts capable of overall water splitting (OWS), by which the evolution of both H and O is possible. Despite favourable energetics, realizing the OWS or efficient H evolution in TaN prepared by the nitridation of tantalum oxide (TaO) or Ta foil remains a challenge even after 15 years of intensive research. Recently our group demonstrated OWS in TaN when prepared by the short time nitridation of potassium tantalate (KTaO).

Activation of immobilized enzymes by acoustic wave resonance oscillation.

Acoustic wave resonance oscillation has been used successfully in the development of methods to activate immobilized enzyme catalysts. In this study, resonance oscillation effects were demonstrated for enzyme reactions on galactose oxidase (GAD), D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), and L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO), all of which were immobilized covalently on a ferroelectric lead zirconate titanate (PZT) device that could generate thickness-extensional resonance oscillations (TERO) of acoustic waves. For galactose oxidation on immobilized GAD in a microreactor, TERO generation immediately increased enzyme activity 2- to 3-fold.

Effects of distortion of metal-oxygen octahedra on photocatalytic water-splitting performance of RuO2-loaded niobium and tantalum phosphate bronzes.

Sodium, niobium, and tantalum phosphate bronzes Na(4)M(8)P(4)O(32) (M=Nb, Ta) are employed as photocatalysts for water splitting to reveal the effects of the distortion of metal-oxygen octahedra on the photocatalytic performance. Addition of RuO(2) as a co-catalyst leads to high, stable activity in the stoichiometric production of H(2) and O(2) under UV irradiation. The combination of highly crystallized phosphates and a high dispersion of RuO(2) particles result in high photocatalytic activity.

A microreactor functionalized with acoustic wave effects and a liquid phase catalytic reaction.

In a microreactor functionalized with the effects of acoustic waves such as surface acoustic waves (SAWs) and resonance oscillations (ROs) that can be generated on ferroelectric crystals by applying rf electric power, the acoustic wave-induced dynamic lattice displacement vertical to surface significantly enhanced the catalysis of Sc(OTf)(3) in aldol condensation reaction of benzaldehyde and acetophenone to chalcone, demonstrating that the functionalization provided the microreactor with reaction-controllable functions of promoting liquid phase catalytic reactions.

Characterization of ruthenium oxide nanocluster as a cocatalyst with (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)Ox) for photocatalytic overall water splitting.

The formation and structural characteristics of Ru species applied as a cocatalyst on (Ga(1)(-)(x)()Zn(x)())(N(1)(-)(x)()O(x)()) are examined by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy. RuO(2) is an effective cocatalyst that enhances the activity of (Ga(1)(-)(x)()Zn(x)())(N(1)(-)(x)()O(x)()) for overall water splitting under visible-light irradiation. The highest photocatalytic activity is obtained for a sample loaded with 5.

Overall water splitting on (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)) solid solution photocatalyst: relationship between physical properties and photocatalytic activity.

The physical and photocatalytic properties of a novel solid solution between GaN and ZnO, (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)), are investigated. Nitridation of a mixture of Ga(2)O(3) and ZnO at 1123 K for 5-30 h under NH(3) flow results in the formation of a (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)) solid solution with x = 0.05-0.

Characterization of Rh-Cr mixed-oxide nanoparticles dispersed on (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)Ox) as a cocatalyst for visible-light-driven overall water splitting.

The structure of Rh-Cr mixed-oxide (Rh(2)(-)(y)Cr(y)O(3)) nanoparticles dispersed on (Ga(1)(-)(x)Zn(x))(N(1)(-)(x)O(x)) is characterized by electron microscopy and X-ray spectroscopy. The Rh(2)(-)(y)Cr(y)O(3) nanoparticle is an efficient cocatalyst for photocatalytic overall water splitting on the (Ga(1)(-)(x)Zn(x))(N(1)(-)(x)O(x)) solid solution and is loaded onto the catalyst by impregnation from an aqueous solution containing Na(3)RhCl(6).2H(2)O and Cr(NO(3))(3).

Efficient overall water splitting under visible-light irradiation on (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)) dispersed with Rh-Cr mixed-oxide nanoparticles: Effect of reaction conditions on photocatalytic activity.

The photocatalytic activity of (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)) loaded with Rh-Cr mixed-oxide (Rh(2-y)Cr(y)O3) nanoparticles for overall water splitting under visible-light irradiation (lambda > 400 nm) is investigated with respect to reaction pH and gas pressure. The photocatalytic performance of the catalyst is found to be strongly dependent on the pH of the reactant solution but largely independent of gas pressure. The present photocatalyst exhibits stable and high photocatalytic activity in an aqueous solution of pH 4.

Photocatalyst releasing hydrogen from water.

Direct splitting of water using a particulate photocatalyst would be a good way to produce clean and recyclable hydrogen on a large scale, and in the past 30 years various photocatalysts have been found that function under visible light. Here we describe an advance in the catalysis of the overall splitting of water under visible light: the new catalyst is a solid solution of gallium and zinc nitrogen oxide, (Ga(1-x)Zn(x))(N(1-x)O(x)), modified with nanoparticles of a mixed oxide of rhodium and chromium. The mixture functions as a promising and efficient photocatalyst in promoting the evolution of hydrogen gas.

GaN:ZnO solid solution as a photocatalyst for visible-light-driven overall water splitting.

Photocatalytic overall water splitting has been studied extensively from the viewpoint of solar energy conversion. Despite numerous attempts, none have yielded satisfactory results for the development of photocatalysts, which work under visible light irradiation to efficiently utilize solar energy. We report here the first example of visible-light-driven overall water splitting on a novel oxynitride photocatalyst, a solid solution of GaN and ZnO with a band gap of 2.

RuO2-loaded beta-Ge3N4 as a non-oxide photocatalyst for overall water splitting.

Germanium nitride beta-Ge3N4 dispersed with RuO2 nanoparticles is presented as the first example of a non-oxide photocatalyst for the stoichiometric decomposition of H2O into H2 and O2. All of the successful photocatalysts developed for overall water splitting over the past 30 years have been based on oxides of metals. The discovery of a non-oxide photocatalyst, such as nitrides and oxynitrides, achieving the same function is therefore expected to stimulate research on non-oxide photocatalysts.