A comprehensive review on tailoring factors of porous bismuth oxyhalide photocatalysts for wastewater treatment application

Photocatalysis is a green, environmentally friendly approach for converting organic contaminants into harmless byproducts. Especially, Bismuth oxyhalides (BiOX, where X = Cl, Br and I) have emerged as promising photocatalysts for wastewater treatment due to their layered-by-layered structure, strong chemical stability and nontoxicity in compare to other metal oxides, which makes the photocatalyst advantageous for photocatalytic application. This review provides an overview of recent developments in the synthesis and application of BiOX-based porous photocatalysts for the removal of organic contaminants from wastewater. Firstly, morphology-controlled synthesis of BiOX in degradation of organic contaminants. Then, modulation of electronic structure through doping, facet engineering and surface engineering has been highlighted for better photocatalytic applications. Furthermore, fabrication of diverse heterojunctions and co-catalyst loading upon BiOX are introduced, which can vary photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of organic contaminants. Finally, this review ended on the future trend and prospects of BiOX for the creation of potential high-performance photocatalysts in the near future. The porous structure of BiOX improved photocatalytic activity, pollutant degradation efficiency, visible light response charge carrier separation, and stability. Overall, bismuth oxyhalide photocatalysts have a lot of potential for effective and long-term wastewater treatment, and their development represents an important step towards addressing the global water pollution crisis.