Photocatalytic decomposition of pure water into H₂ and O₂ over SrTa₂O₆ prepared by a flux method

Orthorhombic (orth.) SrTa₂O₆ powder which was hardly obtained by a solid state reaction was easily synthesized by using a strontium borate flux. The native SrTa₂O₆ powder showed photoluminescence and a photocatalytic activity for decomposition of pure water into H₂ and O₂. The photocatalytic activity was drastically increased by loading a NiO co-catalyst even without pretreatment. The optimum amount of NiO loaded was 0.10 wt%. The quantum yield of the NiO(0.10 wt%)/SrTa₂O₆ photocatalyst was 7% at least.