Ultrathin BiOBr nanocrystals with dominant {001} facets and their high photocatalytic activity

A facile synthesis of ultrathin BiOBr nanocrystals with dominated {001} facets is achieved via an oleylamine-assisted non-hydrolytic approach. The results of scanning and transmission electron microscopy show these ultrathin BiOBr nanocrystals self-assemble into the BiOBr nanosheets. Oleylamine plays an important role in controlling the morphology and thickness of BiOBr nanosheets. BiOBr nanosheets show higher photocatalytic activity (about 4.4 times) on the degradation of Rhodamine B under visible light irradiation than N-TiO2. The effective separation of charge carriers ascribed to the surface defects and highly exposed active {001} crystalline facets is responsible for the high visible light photocatalytic activity of BiOBr nanosheets.