title: Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity of Ultrathin Ba5Nb4O15 Two-Dimensional Nanosheets.
abstract: Anisotropic two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets of the layered perovskite, Ba5Nb4O15, with thicknesses of 5-10 nm and lateral sizes of 300-1200 nm, were synthesized by a hydrothermal route. The influences of the 2D morphology of the material on the crystal and electronic structures, light absorption properties, and photocatalytic activity were investigated. The ultrathin nanosheets showed much-enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to both thick nanosheets (∼30 nm) and micrometer-sized particles for the evolution of H2 from water splitting under UV light illumination. This enhanced activity is predominantly attributed to the larger surface area, higher optical absorption, and charge separation ability of the 2D nanosheet, which results from the variation of the local crystal structure arising from the ultrathin morphology of the Ba5Nb4O15.
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-744, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sangbaek
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-744, South Korea.
authors.forename: Hee Jo
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Seoul National University , Seoul 151-744, South Korea.
authors.forename: Chan Woo
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University , Suwon 443-749, South Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Won
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: Department of Materials Science and Engineering, and Department of Energy Systems Research, Ajou University , Suwon 443-749, South Korea.
authors.forename: In Sun
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Cho
keywords: Ba5Nb4O15; charge separation; hydrothermal; layered perovskite structure; photocatalytic activity; ultrathin nanosheets