Photocatalytic water splitting to hydrogen over a visible light-driven LaTaON2 catalyst

LaTaON2 with a perovskite structure has been successfully prepared by a high-temperature ammonolysis technique using NH2Cl as the mineralizer. The optical absorption edge of LaTaON2 is significantly red-shifted compared to that of LaTaO4. Under visible light irradiation, LaTaON2 with Pt or Ru as a co-catalyst shows high activity for reduction of water to H-2 in the presence of ethanol as a sacrificial electron reagent. A remarkable improvement in production efficiency was observed when both Pt and Ru are present.