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Nanocrystalline PrFeO 3 perovskite type orthoferrite was synthesized at 700 • C by using three different synthesis methods, namely sol-gel, template and combustion method. The synthesized materials were characterized by XRD, BET-SA, SEM, HRTEM, XPS, FTIR and UV-DRS techniques to understand their physico-chemical properties. Characterization data reveal the formation of nanocrystalline PrFeO 3 perovskite composition with improved physical properties, possibly due to lower synthesis temperature used. PrFeO 3 synthesized by sol-gel method consists of crystallite size of about 20 nm with absorption maxima at 595 nm wavelength in visible light range. This photocatalyst shows hydrogen generation of about 2847 μmol.g −1 .h −1 , under visible light irradiation in ethanol-water system. The photocatalyst was further investigated for various operational parameters such as photocatalyst dose variation, illumination intensity, time, etc. in a view to optimize the hydrogen generation as well as to understand mechanistic aspects. This material appears to follow a semiconductor type mechanism for ethanol-assisted visible light photocatalyic water-splitting and can also be an interesting candidate to develop hetero-junction type photocatalysts.

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