Recent advances in BiVO₄-based heterojunction photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications

Photocatalytic technology offers a promising solution by efficiently converting solar energy into chemical energy and addressing environmental pollution. BiVO₄ is a promising semiconductor photocatalytic material due to its narrow band gap, good visible light response, and non-toxicity. Recently, there has been significant interest in developing BiVO₄-based heterojunction photocatalysts to overcome the challenges of rapid recombination rate of photogenerated charge carriers and insufficient electron transport capacity in pure BiVO₄. However, a comprehensive and systematic summary of the role of BiVO₄-based heterojunction catalysts in improving photocatalytic performance is lacking. This review covers the mechanisms, challenges, and classification of BiVO₄-based heterojunction photocatalysis. It also summarizes recent advancements in using these photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications, such as water splitting, nitrogen fixation, carbon dioxide reduction, pollutant degradation, etc. Perspectives on the existing challenges, potential solutions, and prospects of BiVO₄-based heterojunction photocatalysts are outlined, aiming to offer valuable insights to accelerate their commercialization as high-performance photocatalysts.