title: RuO2-loaded beta-Ge3N4 as a non-oxide photocatalyst for overall water splitting.
abstract: Germanium nitride beta-Ge3N4 dispersed with RuO2 nanoparticles is presented as the first example of a non-oxide photocatalyst for the stoichiometric decomposition of H2O into H2 and O2. All of the successful photocatalysts developed for overall water splitting over the past 30 years have been based on oxides of metals. The discovery of a non-oxide photocatalyst, such as nitrides and oxynitrides, achieving the same function is therefore expected to stimulate research on non-oxide photocatalysts. New opportunities for progress in the development of visible light-driven photocatalysis can thus be expected, as the higher valence band positions of metal nitrides compared to the corresponding metal oxides provide narrower band gaps, which are suitable for visible light activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Nagaoka University of Technology, Nagaoka 940-2188, Japan.
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Nobuo
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yamada
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Tsuyoshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takata
authors.forename: Junko N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kondo
authors.forename: Michikazu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hara
authors.forename: Hisayoshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Domen
authors.forename: Yasunobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Inoue