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A Complex Perovskite‐Type Oxynitride: The First Photocatalyst for Water Splitting Operable at up to 600 nm
Author(s) -
Pan Chengsi,
Takata Tsuyoshi,
Nakabayashi Mamiko,
Matsumoto Takao,
Shibata Naoya,
Ikuhara Yuichi,
Domen Kazunari
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.201410961
Subject(s) - photocatalysis , water splitting , photocatalytic water splitting , perovskite (structure) , semiconductor , band gap , materials science , amorphous solid , redox , solar energy , visible spectrum , chemical engineering , nanotechnology , catalysis , chemistry , optoelectronics , crystallography , ecology , biochemistry , engineering , metallurgy , biology
One of the simplest methods for splitting water into H 2 and O 2 with solar energy entails the use of a particulate‐type semiconductor photocatalyst. To harness solar energy efficiently, a new water‐splitting photocatalyst that is active over a wider range of the visible spectrum has been developed. In particular, a complex perovskite‐type oxynitride, LaMg x Ta 1− x O 1+3 x N 2−3 x ( x ≥1/3), can be employed for overall water splitting at wavelengths of up to 600 nm. Two effective strategies for overall water splitting were developed. The first entails the compositional fine‐tuning of a photocatalyst to adjust the bandgap energy and position by forming a series of LaMg x Ta 1− x O 1+3 x N 2−3 x solid solutions. The second method is based on the surface coating of the photocatalyst with a layer of amorphous oxyhydroxide to control the surface redox reactions. By combining these two strategies, the degradation of the photocatalyst and the reverse reaction could be prevented, resulting in successful overall water splitting.