Synthesis and application for overall water splitting of transition metal-mixed mesoporous Ta oxide

• Published in: Solid state ionics 2002-11, Vol.151 (1), p.305-311
• Main Authors: Takahara, Yoshiko, Kondo, Junko N, Lu, Daling, Domen, Kazunari
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemistry; Exact sciences and technology; General and physical chemistry; Mesoporous materials; Overall water splitting; Photocatalysts; Photochemistry; Physical chemistry of induced reactions (with radiations, particles and ultrasonics); Transition metal oxides; UV irradiation
• ISSN: 0167-2738; 1872-7689
• DOI: 10.1016/S0167-2738(02)00728-2

Cu- and Ni-mixed mesoporous Ta oxides were synthesized by the optimized ligand-assisted templating method, using metal alkoxides and octadecylamine surfactant. The resulting solids were colored due to the presence of Cu or Ni even after the removal of the surfactant. Cu-mixed mesoporous Ta oxide had high BET surface area (330 m 2 g −1) and a narrow pore size distribution at 3.3 nm. BET surface area of Ni-mixed mesoporous Ta oxide was 230 m 2 g −1, although the pore size distribution tailed in the micropore range with two broad peaks at 2.8 and 1.1 nm. Consequently, about half of the pore volume was occupied by micropores. Ni-mixed mesoporous Ta oxide decomposed water into stoichiometric H 2 and O 2 under ultraviolet irradiation, while Cu-mixed mesoporous Ta oxide evolved H 2 alone.