Mesoporous Ta₃N₅ microspheres prepared from a high-surface-area, microporous, amorphous precursor and their visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity

A light Ta₃N₅: Mesoporous Ta₃N₅ microspheres were synthesized by thermally nitriding a high-surface-area, microporous, amorphous Ta₂O₅ precursor at 750 °C, which is lower than the 900 °C needed for the complete nitridation of micrometer-sized Ta₂O₅ powder. The mesoporous Ta ₃N₅ microspheres show significantly enhanced visible-light photoactivity in the degradation of methylene blue (MB) compared with similar photocatalysts reported under similar conditions.