Photocatalytic visible-light active bismuth tungstate coatings deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering

Ratova, M, West, GT and Kelly, PJ (2015) Photocatalytic visible-light active bismuth tungstate coatings deposited by reactive magnetron sputtering. Vacuum, 115. ISSN 0042-207X

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Abstract

Photocatalytic bismuth tungstate thin films with visible-light activity were deposited via reactive pulsed DC magnetron sputtering onto soda-lime glass substrates. Varying the power delivered to the bismuth and tungsten targets allowed control over the Bi/W ratio in the coatings, and therefore the structural and optical properties of the coatings. As-deposited coatings were characterised with amorphous microstructures and were annealed at 673 K to develop crystallinity. The visible light photocatalytic activity of the coatings, which was analysed using the methylene blue degradation test, was found to be superior to that of a commercial titania-based photocatalytic product.