:La yielded the highest water splitting rate of photocatalysts without using sacrificial reagents.  This ultraviolet-based photocatalyst was reported to show water splitting rates of 9.7 mmol/h and a quantum yield of 56%. The nanostep structure of the material promotes water splitting as edges functioned as  production sites and the grooves functioned as  production sites. Addition of NiO particles as co-catalysts assisted in  production; this step used an impregnation method with an aqueous solution of •6 and evaporated the solution in the presence of the photocatalyst.  has a conduction band higher than that of NiO, so photo-generated electrons are more easily transferred to the conduction band of NiO for  evolution.