In this paper, the photocatalytic response of amorphous V2O5 coatings prepared by hydrothermal growth at 65 degrees C is presented. The position of the substrate during the deposition and the pH of the solution were found to affect the coverage and the response of the coatings upon catalysis. The photocatalytic activity of the coatings was tested using stearic acid as a pollutant for an illumination time of 480 min. The materials grown on microscope glass positioned at an angle of 0 degrees with respect to the bottom of the bottle exhibit the best photocatalytic activity, degrading stearic acid by 64% due to the enhanced surface coverage. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.