Advances in the improvement of photocatalytic activity of BiOCl nanomaterials under visible light

Abstract Photocatalysis is an effective way to alleviate the energy crisis and environmental pollution. Bismuth Chloride Oxide (BiOCl) is one of the most widely studied metal oxides due to its unique surface and electronic structure. However, the wide band gap of BiOCl and the high complexation rate of photogenerated electron–hole pairs limit its photocatalytic efficiency. Increasingly, efforts are being made to improve the performance of this range of photocatalysts. The article reviews the progress of research to enhance the photocatalytic activity of BiOCl nanomaterials. Strategies to improve the photocatalytic performance of single-phase BiOCl include morphological control, component adjustment, crystal facet control, and defects construction. Strategies to improve the photocatalytic activity of BiOCl-based composites include surface modification, immobilization of photocatalysts, impurity doping, and the construction of heterojunctions. In addition, the challenges and trends of BiOCl photocatalysts are discussed and summarized. Hopefully, this review will be helpful for the research and application of BiOCl photocatalysts.