Facile synthesis of efficient photocatalytic tantalum nitride nanoparticles
Graphical abstract: Tantalum nitride nanoparticles as a visible-light-driven photocatalyst prepared by a novel homogeneously chemical reduction of tantalum pentachloride using sodium in liquid ammonia and the morphologies, visible-light photocatalytic properties and stability of tantalum nitride nanoparticles were investigated. Highlights: ► Tantalum nitride nanoparticles have been prepared by a homogeneously chemical reduction. ► The crystal structure of tantalum nitride was determined by Rietveld refinement and XRD patterns. ► The Tantalum nitride nanoparticle size was in the range of 20–50 nm. ► Much high photocatalytic activities of Ta{sub 3}N{sub 5} nanoparticles were obtained under visible-light irradiation. -- Abstract: Tantalum nitride nanoparticles, as visible-light photocatalysts were synthesized by a two-step homogeneously chemical reduction without any polymers and templates. The well-crystallized Ta{sub 3}N{sub 5} nanoparticles with a range of 20–50 nm in size have been characterized by a number of techniques, such as XRD, XPS, SEM, TEM, BET and UV–Vis spectrum. Most importantly, the Ta{sub 3}N{sub 5} nanoparticles with good stability exhibited higher photooxidation activities in the water splitting and degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation than bulk Ta{sub 3}N{sub 5} particles and commercial P25 TiO{sub 2}, demonstrating that Ta{sub 3}N{sub 5} nanoparticle is a promising candidate as a visible-light photocatalyst.