title: Preparation of a colloidal array of NaTaO3 nanoparticles via a confined space synthesis route and its photocatalytic application.
abstract: The confined space synthesis method has been applied to the preparation of sodium tantalate (NaTaO(3)); hydrothermal reaction of NaOH and Ta(2)O(5) was carried out in the pores of a three-dimensional mesoporous carbon, which was replicated by the colloidal array of silica nanospheres (SNSs) 20 nm in size. This approach led to the formation of a colloidal array of NaTaO(3) nanoparticles 20 nm in size with a surface area of 34 m(2) g(-1). The photocatalytic performance of the colloidal array of NaTaO(3) nanoparticles for overall water splitting under UV irradiation (λ > 200 nm) was evaluated after loading a NiO cocatalyst onto NaTaO(3) samples. The NiO-loaded NaTaO(3) nanoparticles showed photocatalytic activity for overall water splitting more than three times as high as non-structured bulk NaTaO(3) particles.
authors.affiliation: Chemical Resources Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259, Nagatsuta, Midori-ku, Yokohama 226-8503, Japan.
authors.forename: Toshiyuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokoi
authors.forename: Junya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sakuma
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Kazunari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Domen
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tatsumi
authors.forename: Junko N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Kondo