Photocatalytic performance of different exposed crystal facets of BiOCl

Bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl) is a typical V–VI–VII ternary oxide material of low toxicity and high earth abundance nature. The past ten years have witnessed tremendous efforts in utilizing BiOCl as a versatile catalysts for photocatalytic applications, including pollutant removal, water splitting, CO2 reduction, N2 fixation and organic transformation. Remarkably, photocatalytic performance of BiOCl shows high dependency on its exposed crystal facets. In this brief review, we highlight the recent progress on the photocatalysis of different exposed crystal facets of BiOCl, focusing on the facet-dependent internal electric field manipulation, sensitization, carbon doping, and plasmonic hot carriers utilization. Understanding of the facet-dependent photocatalysis of BiOCl will offer new guidelines for the rational design of novel catalysts.