LaTaON2 insights, from synthesis to photocatalytic and photoelectrochemical applications; a review

Abstract

Research surrounding new photocatalytic materials is an area of continuous growth, especially in the development of light-harvesting semiconductors capable of absorbing irradiation in the visible-light range to carry out diverse photocatalytic processes such as the water-splitting reaction, decontamination of dyes and drugs present in water, and CO₂ and NO_X photoreduction. Advanced materials such as oxynitrides have emerged in recent years due to their interesting properties and diverse applications; however, their physicochemical properties and relation with optical and photocatalytic applications are still an emerging study area, which has revealed oxynitrides are photoactive materials capable of performing the above-mentioned reactions. Among this group, the perovskite oxynitride LaTaON₂ is one of the more recent and less studied materials. The global literature is limited to less than 40 research articles, which makes this material worth studying since it has gained attention as a promising photocatalyst for water-splitting reactions despite the scarcity of studies in the literature. Therefore, this review aims to collect and analyze the available information on LaTaON₂, highlighting its synthesis methods, uses, applications, and photocatalytic enhancement strategies to facilitate future advancements and applications of the mentioned material for energy generation and environmental remediation.