Abstract
Phase-pure tantalum oxynitride (β-TaON) powders were synthesized by thermal ammonolysis of Ta2O5powders. X-ray diffraction revealed an enlargement of the unit cell and an increase of the crystallite size with increasing ammonolysis temperature. Scanning electron microscopy showed reduced particle sizes forβ-TaON synthesized at 800 and compared to the precursor oxide. With increasing nitridation temperature the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area was reduced and the nitrogen content increased. UV-Vis spectroscopy showed a bandgap energy of 2.6–2.4 eV. The highest oxygen evolution rate of 220 μmol·g−1·h−1was achieved forβ-TaON synthesized at . The factors determining the photocatalytic activity ofβ-TaON powders were found to be the specific surface area and defects in theβ-TaON.
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