Origin of the overall water splitting activity of Ta₃N₅ revealed by ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy.

ABSTRACT: Tantalum nitride (Ta₃N₅) is one of the few visible light absorbing photocatalysts capable of overall water splitting (OWS), by which the evolution of both H₂ and O₂ is possible. Despite favourable energetics, realizing the OWS or efficient H₂ evolution in Ta₃N₅ prepared by the nitridation of tantalum oxide (Ta₂O₅) or Ta foil remains a challenge even after 15 years of intensive research. Recently our group demonstrated OWS in Ta₃N₅ when prepared by the short time nitridation of potassium tantalate (KTaO₃). To obtain a mechanistic insight on the role of Ta precursor and nitridation time in realizing OWS, ultrafast dynamics of electrons (3435 nm probe) and holes

SUBMITTER: Murthy DHK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6540954 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature