On-Site Growth of a TaON Nanoshell on ZrO Particles for Photocatalytic Water Splitting.

Low-dimensional nanostructuring has emerged as a promising approach to enhance the photocatalytic performance of transition metal oxynitrides, a class of widely investigated visible-light-responsive photocatalysts. Despite their potential, the synthesis of nanostructured oxynitride materials remains a great challenge. In this study, we present a novel NHCl-assisted vacuum nitridation method for growth of an ultrathin TaON layer on particulate ZrO, resulting in the formation of TaON@ZrO core@shell nanostructures.

Enabling the synthesis of O3-type sodium anion-redox cathodes via atmosphere modulation.

The pursuit of advanced battery chemistries with enhanced energy density necessitates the exploration of new materials, a process intricately tied to synthesis science. Despite the promise of O3-type sodium oxygen anionic redox cathodes as high-capacity materials, their development has been severely hindered by a lack of understanding regarding synthetic mechanisms. Here, we elucidate the pivotal role of atmospheric conditions, particularly oxygen content, in the synthesis of such materials by synchronizing multiple operando characterization techniques to monitor changes in both solid and gaseous components.