Investigation of the photocatalytic efficiency of tantalum alkoxy carboxylate-derived Ta2O5 nanoparticles in rhodamine B removal

Abstract

Ta2O5 nanoparticles have been synthesized from alkoxy carboxylates of tantalum via the sol-gel route. Tantalum alkoxides were reacted with chlorocarboxylic acids in order to lower the susceptibility hydrolysis. When these modified alkoxy carboxylates were used in the sol-gel synthesis, they yielded Ta2O5 nanoparticles of better properties than those of the alkoxide-derived Ta2O5 nanoparticles. These nanoparticles efficiently removed rhodamine B under UV light irradiation.