Fabrication of Ta2O5 films on tantalum substrate for efficient photocatalysis

•Ta2O5 films on tantalum substrate were successfully fabricated.•Remarkable photocatalytic activity can be obtained without co-catalysts.•High recyclability can be achieved.

Ta2O5 films have been successfully fabricated on tantalum substrate via a facile hydrothermal route and characterized by a series of spectroscopic techniques. The morphology of the as-prepared Ta2O5 films showed great impacts on the photocatalytic activity. Without any co-catalysts, the as-prepared Ta2O5 films on tantalum exhibited remarkable photocatalytic activity and recyclability both in the degradation of rhodamine B and in the hydrogen production from water splitting under UV irradiation.