Key Words:Photocatalysts;Materials testing - Photocatalysis - Potassium - Solutions - Testing - X ray diffraction;High photocatalytic activities - High separation efficiency - Hydrothermal methods - Octahedral structures - Photocatalytic activities - Pyrochlore structures - Pyrochlores - Ultraviolet irradiations
Abstract:Pyrochlore-type potassium tantalate (K<inf>2</inf>Ta<inf>2</inf>O<inf>6</inf>) was successfully synthesized through a facile hydrothermal method. X-Ray diffraction and electron microscopy reveal that pure K<inf>2</inf>Ta<inf>2</inf>O<inf>6</inf>consisting of a nano-octahedral structure could be obtained at 180°C for 24 h. The photocatalytic activities of K<inf>2</inf>Ta<inf>2</inf>O<inf>6</inf>were examined using aqueous solutions under ultraviolet irradiation. The degradation result of the Rhodamine B dye indicated that the pyrochlore-type potassium tantalates exhibited a remarkably higher photocatalytic activity than the perovskite phase sample. This high photocatalytic activity is ascribed to both the high position of the conduction band and the high separation efficiency of electron-hole pairs of the pyrochlore structure. © 2016 Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland.
Volume:680
Translation or Not:no