Bismuth oxybromide photocatalysts for CO₂ reduction: modification methods, bottlenecks, and optimization strategies

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Chemistry

Background:

• Bismuth oxybromide (BiOBr) is a layered semiconductor with potential for photocatalytic CO2 reduction.
• Its layered structure offers carrier separation advantages and visible light response.
• A key limitation is the high recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs, hindering catalytic efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review BiOBr-based photocatalysts for CO2 reduction.
• To analyze BiOBr's intrinsic properties, advantages, and shortcomings.
• To explore and summarize modification strategies for improving BiOBr performance.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of BiOBr intrinsic properties and photocatalytic CO2 reduction mechanisms.
• Summary of factors affecting reaction efficiency and preparation methods.
• Comprehensive review of modification strategies: crystal structure regulation, morphology optimization, defect engineering, and heterojunction composites.

Main Results:

• BiOBr exhibits favorable band structure and visible light activity for CO2 reduction.
• High photogenerated carrier recombination limits its catalytic performance.
• Various modification strategies have shown progress in enhancing BiOBr's efficiency.

Conclusions:

• Despite advancements, challenges remain in BiOBr's preparation cost, stability, and product selectivity.
• Further research is needed to optimize BiOBr for practical CO2 reduction applications.
• This review provides insights for future development of efficient BiOBr photocatalysts.