BiVO4 as a Visible-Light Photocatalyst Prepared by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis

BiVO4 powders with unique particle architectures have been synthesized using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP). Gases created from the evaporation of solvent and the decomposition of precursor materials shape the morphology of the particles as the solids are formed in the heated aerosol. The BiVO4 powder was tested as oxygen evolving photocatalysts by monitoring the kinetics of O-2 formation from a AgNO3 solution irradiated with lambda > 400 nm light. USP prepared BiVO4 was found to have significantly superior photocatalytic activity compared to commercial BiVO4 and WO3, likely due to differences in particle morphology.