Facile Fabrication of an Efficient Oxynitride TaON Photoanode for Overall Water Splitting into H2 and O2 under Visible Light Irradiation

The porous oxynitride TaON film electrode prepared on conducting glass (PTO) showed significantly high quantum efficiency (IPCE = ca. 76% at 400 nm at 0.6 V vs Ag/AgCl) in an aqueous Na2SO4 solution, after loading of IrO2 center dot H2O nanoparticles as a cocatalyst for water oxidation. Overall water splitting into H-2 and O-2 under visible light was demonstrated using an IrO2 center dot nH(2)O-loaded TaON photoanode combined with a Pt electrode under an externally applied bias (0.6-1 V).