Monodisperse mesoporous Ta2O5 colloidal spheres as a highly effective photocatalyst for hydrogen production

A high-yield and low-cost reaction route has been developed to prepare crystallized porous tantalum pentoxide spheres (CPTS) with particle diameters of ca. 400-500 nm by a combination of antisolvent precipitation method and subsequent hydrothermal treatment. The anion-doped CPTS exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for hydrogen evolution under UV irradiation due to their larger surface area and controlled morphology.