Photocatalysis technology, using semiconductor nano-materials to decompose toxic pollutants under solar light irradiation, displays great prospects for environmental protection. This review gives an overview of the applications of BiOX (X = Cl, Br and I) photocatalysts for efficient photocatalytic degradation (PCD) removal of pollutants in water/air, such as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), organic molecule pollutants, polymer pollutants and biological substances. In addition, the hybridization, facet effects and photocatalytic mechanisms of BiOX are highlighted to offer guidelines for designing highly-active BiOX visible-light-driven (VLD) photocatalysts. Furthermore, the research trends and future prospects of BiOX photocatalysts are also briefly summarized. It may lead to feasible green and efficient photocatalytic reaction systems using BiOX as the photocatalyst. Nano impactIn the area of environmental remediation, photocatalytic technology using nano-photocatalysts is one of the most important parts. In the past ten years, BiOX (X = Cl, Br and I) 2D nanosheets and 3D hierarchical structures with 2D nanoflakes have offered potential for efficient photocatalytic degradation (PCD) removal of pollutants in air, water and biological contaminants. Based on the layer structure characterized as [Bi 2 O 2 ] slabs interleaved by double slabs of halogen atoms, BiOX 2D crystals show open crystalline structures and indirect optical transitions. So, they display very high photocatalytic activity for environmental remediation. On the other hand, the thickness and exposed facets of BiOX 2D crystals also affect their photocatalytic performance and mechanism.

Oxygen vacancies induced exciton dissociation of flexible BiOCl nanosheets for effective photocatalytic CO2 conversion via the CO2 hydrogenation pathway.

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MoO3−x displayed dramatically enhanced photo-thermal synergistic CO2 reduction under simulate sunlight irradiation compared to MoO3 due to the LSPR of MoO3−x triggered by oxygen vacancies.

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