The photoelectrochemical properties of porous BiVO4 thin-film electrodes on conducting glass for H2 production from water under visible light were investigated. BiVO4 films were prepared by the metal-organic decomposition method, and particles were 90-150 nm in diameter. Under visible-light irradiation, H2 and O2 evolved in a stoichiometric ratio (H2/O2 = 2) from an aqueous solution of Na2SO4 with an external bias. The photocurrent increased with addition of methanol. The band structure of BiVO4 was investigated by open-circuit potential, flat-band potential, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and calculations based on density functional theory. The top of the valence-band potential of BiVO4 was shifted negatively compared to the potentials of the conventional oxide semiconductors without Bi. We surmise that hybridization between the O-2p and Bi-6s orbitals might contribute to the negative shift of the BiVO4 valence band. Treatment with an aqueous solution of AgNO3 improved the photocurrent of the BiVO4 electrode significantly. The maximum incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency at 420 nm was 44%. This value was the highest among mixed-oxide semiconductor electrodes under visible light irradiation. AgNO3 treatment also improved the stability of the photocurrent. The Ag+ ion in/on the BiVO4 catalyzed the intrinsic photogeneration of oxygen with the holes.

The anionic ring‐opening polymerization of 3‐methyl‐2‐azetidinone (3) in a mixture of N,N‐dimethylacetamide with lithium chloride proceeded quantitatively in a homogeneous phase at 25°C, as well as the living anionic polymerization of 3,3‐dimethyl‐, 4,4‐dimethyl‐2‐azetidinone (1 and 2 respectively) in a similar condition. However, the molecular weight dispersion of the polyamide obtained from 3 was found to be higher than that obtained from 1 and 2. The aminolysis reaction of their N‐benzoyllactams and N‐acyllactams corresponding to their growing species with benzylamine was investigated kinetically, and one of the reasons for broadening of the molecular weight distribution of the polyamide obtained in the anionic polymerization of 3 was speculated to result from a low value of the ratio of the initiation reaction constant to the propagation one. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci A: Polym Chem 35: 1831–1838, 1997

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