Sonochemical sol – gel synthesis of lnTaO4 powders for photocatalytic applications

• Published in: Optical materials 2024-07, Vol.153, Article 115572
• Main Authors: Velasco-Hernández, A., Esparza-Muñoz, R.A., de Moure-Flores, F.J., Santos-Cruz, J., Nava-Mendoza, R., Mayén-Hernández, S.A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: CO2photoreduction; Gel synthesis; InTaO4powders; Photocatalysis; Semiconductors; Sol
• ISSN: 0925-3467; 1873-1252
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optmat.2024.115572

The synthesis of indium tantalate (InTaO4) powders is reported using a sol-gel method assisted for the first time with a sonochemical bath for this compound, and sintering at different temperatures, evaluating their structural, optical, morphological, and photocatalytic properties towards the methylene blue degradation and CO2 photoreduction. The crystalline characteristics of InTaO4 powders improve with the increasing of sintering temperature, while the optical bandgap of the compound increases from 2.8 to 3.5 eV from 400 to 1000 °C respectively. The photocatalytic experiments shows the best performance is achieved with InTaO4 powders sintered at low temperatures. The photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under UV is almost completed at 4 h of reaction using InTaO4 powders sintered at 700 and 800 °C. For the CO2 photocatalytic reduction under UV light, the data indicated that the lower sintering temperatures have the highest methanol productions as a product of energy interest, reaching values of almost 4900 μmolgcat−1 at 7 h of reaction using a InTaO4 powder sample sintered at 500 °C. •The ultrasonic bath catalyzes the formation of a gel for the synthesis of InTaO4powders via a sol – gel method.•As the crystal structure refines with the sintering temperature, the bandgap of the material approaches to 3.5 eV for 1000 °C respectively.•A more homogeneous distribution of pores and aggregates in the particles is obtained as the sintering temperature increases.•The best photocatalytic performance in methylene blue degradation and CO2 reduction is achieved with InTaO4 powders sintered at low temperatures.