Synthesis and water splitting activity of NaTaO ₃ photocatalyst by hydrothermal method and solvothermal method

We prepared NaTaO ₃ by hydrothermal method and solvothermal method. Na ₂Ta ₂O ₆ was obtained by hydrothermal treatment of water soluble tantalum complex and NaOH. On the other hand NaTaO ₃ was obtained by solvothermal treatment of TaCI ₅ and NaOH in methanol. Many samples were synthesized in various hydrothermal condition, however all samples were Na ₂Ta ₂O ₆ or amorphous. Primary particle size of samples obtained by solvothermal method was 10 nm. Primary particles aggregated and formed 20-50 nm secondly particles. Moreover, specific surface area Of NaTaO ₃ synthesized by the solvothermal method was 109 m ²/g. Therefore we succeeded in obtaining NaTaO ₃ fine particles with high specific surface area. NaTaO ₃ sample loaded NiO of 6 wt% produced H ₂ of 600 μl/h. When solvothermal treatment time was extended from 5 hours to 10 hours and stirring in solvothermal treatment, water splitting activity Of NaTaO ₃ was improved.