Tailoring the diameter of electrospun layered perovskite nanofibers for photocatalytic water splitting

Abstract

Ba₅Ta₄O₁₅ nanofibers are prepared with tailored diameter to investigate its influence on pure photocatalytic water splitting performance. The diameter of the resulting 111-layered perovskite nanofibers was solely adjusted by the electrospinning conditions, and no variation in temperature treatment was necessary. Fibers with diameters between 100 and 300 nm can be prepared by fine-tuning the viscosity of the spinning solution, depending on the amount of spinning polymer present. Diameter-dependent photocatalytic water splitting studies reveal for the first time a morphological influence, namely optimum fiber diameter, to be responsible for optimum photocatalytic activity. Ba₅Ta₄O₁₅ nanofibers with an average diameter of 161 nm show the best performance in water splitting experiments.