SrSnO3:N – Nitridation and evaluation of photocatalytic activity

• SrSnO3: N presents a great potential to be used as photocatalyst under visible light.
• Very low amount of N increase significantly the photoactivity of SrSnO3: N under visible light.
• Nitridation of SrSnO3 was succeed at mild conditions and the peroviskite structure was preserved.

The SrSnO3 was prepared in powders form by a conventional method of solid state reaction and submitted to thermal treatment under NH3 in order to obtain the oxynitride and then promote photocatalytic activity at the visible region. Three different nitridation conditions were tested. The results showed that when the SrSnO3 is subjected to nitridation at moderate conditions (600 °C and 650 °C) oxynitide is formed preserving the perovskite structure. On the other hand, when the nitridation occurs at more severe conditions (750 °C), it is possible to observe the decomposition of the structure instead of the incorporation of N. Samples in which oxynitride is formed, SrSnO3:N, showed high potential photocatalysis under visible light, showing to be about 4 times more active than SrSnO3 or TiO2 at the same conditions.