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

BiVO 4 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 BiVO 4 powder was tested as oxygen evolving photocatalysts by monitoring the kinetics of O 2 formation from a AgNO 3 solution irradiated with λ > 400 nm light. USP prepared BiVO 4 was found to have significantly superior photocatalytic activity compared to commercial BiVO 4 and WO 3, likely due to differences in particle morphology.