Pure water splitting to generate H2 over strontium niobate and tantalate: A comparative study

To clarify the nature of different photocatalytic activities between niobate and tantalate, a comparative study of the water splitting into H-2 over strontium niobate and tantalate was performed. These isostructural photocatalysts were prepared by a facile and simple hydrothermal reaction and characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), N-2-sorption, UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (UV-Vis DRS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effects of crystal structure, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area, photoabsorption performance, morphology, and electronic structure are discussed.