Hierarchical nanostructures of fluorinated and naked Ta2O5 single crystalline nanorods: hydrothermal preparation, formation mechanism and photocatalytic activity for H2 production

The hydrolysis of H2TaF7 when it slowly forms via etching Ta powders with HF and H2O2 under hydrothermal conditions produces hierarchical nanostructures of fluorinated and naked Ta2O5 single-crystalline nanorods, which exhibit a far greater photocatalytic activity for H-2 production than commercial Ta2O5 particles.