title: Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of a new heteropolyoxoniobate compound: K10[Nb2O2(H2O)2][SiNb12O40)·12H2O.
abstract: The synthesis and photocatalytic properties of a heteropolyoxoniobate, K(10)[Nb(2)O(2)(H(2)O)(2)][SiNb(12)O(40)]·12H(2)O (1), are reported, revealing an important role of Zr(4+) additives in the crystallization. Compound 1 exhibits overall photocatalytic water splitting activity, and its photocatalytic activity is significantly higher than that of Na(10)[Nb(2)O(2)][SiNb(12)O(40)]·xH(2)O (2). Fluorescence lifetime measurements suggest that the enhanced photocatalytic activity of 1 likely results from a larger yield of longer-lived charge trapping states in 1 due to the coordination of one water molecule to the bridging Nb(5+), leading to highly unsymmetrical seven-coordinated Nb(5+) sites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, USA.
authors.forename: Zhenyu
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Qipu
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Dharmalingam
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kurunthu
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zuo
authors.forename: Shou-Tian
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Zheng
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bardeen
authors.forename: Xianhui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Bu
authors.forename: Pingyun
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Feng