Cost-effective preparation of layered tantalum oxynitrides for visible light-driven photocatalysis

Wenqian Chen; Zihan Wang; Peng Wang; Jinkun Li; Jiajun Wang; Liang Tang

doi:10.1039/d2dt03470k

Cost-effective preparation of layered tantalum oxynitrides for visible light-driven photocatalysis

Dalton Trans. 2023 Mar 7;52(10):3127-3136. doi: 10.1039/d2dt03470k.

Authors

Wenqian Chen¹, Zihan Wang¹, Peng Wang¹, Jinkun Li¹, Jiajun Wang¹, Liang Tang¹

Affiliation

¹ Key Laboratory of Organic Compound Pollution Control Engineering (MOE), School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China. wenqianchen@shu.edu.cn.

PMID: 36789731
DOI: 10.1039/d2dt03470k

Abstract

Layered oxynitrides are promising materials for visible light photocatalysis. However, the conventional method for the synthesis of oxynitrides using ammonia as a nitrogen source is dangerous. In this work, we successfully synthesized two layered tantalum oxynitrides, K_1.35LaTa₂O_6.65N_0.35 and K_1.4Ca₂Ta₃O_9.6N_0.4, via a topochemical nitridation process using urea as a solid nitrogen source. Employing different characterization methods, we determined the structure and composition of layered oxynitrides. Furthermore, using Pt as a co-catalyst, these two layered oxynitrides showed excellent photocatalytic performances under visible light irradiation. In contrast to ammonia, urea process provides easy access for the synthesis of layered oxynitrides and sheds new light on the design of effective visible light-driven photocatalysts.