Selective Photoreduction of Nitric Oxide to Nitrogen by Nanostructured TiO2Photocatalysts: Role of Oxygen Vacancies and Iron Dopant

Interfacial Charging-Decharging Strategy for Efficient and Selective Aerobic NO Oxidation on Oxygen Vacancy

Intelligent defect engineering to harness surface molecular processes is at the core of selective oxidation catalysis. Here, we demonstrate that the two-electron-trapped oxygen vacancy (V_O) of BiOCl, a prototypical F center (V_Ő''), is a superb site to confine O₂ toward efficient and selective NO oxidation to nitrate. Stimulated by solar light, V_Ő'' accomplishes NO oxidation through a two-electron charging (V_Ő'' + O₂ → V_Ő''-O₂^2-) and subsequent one-electron decharging process (V_Ő''-O₂^2- + NO → V_O-NO₃^- + e^-). The back-donated electron is retrapped by V_O to produce a new single-electron-trapped V_O (V_O'), simultaneously triggering a second round of NO oxidation (V_O'-O₂ + NO → V_O-NO₃^-). This unprecedented interfacial charging-decharging scheme alters the peroxide-associated NO oxidation selectivity from NO₂ to NO₃^- with a high efficiency and thus hold great promise for the treatment of risky NO _x species in indoor air.

A Mild in-Situ Method to Construct Fe-Doped Cauliflower-Like Rutile TiO2 Photocatalysts for Degradation of Organic Dye in Wastewater

A mild in situ method was developed to construct an iron doped rutile TiO2 photocatalyst like cauliflower for degradation synthetic textile dye-methyl orange. The synthesized photocatalysts presented distinguished photocatalytic activity. At the optimal Fe concentration (0.5%), the decomposition rate of methyl orange (MO) was about 90% under 40 min of ultraviolet (UV) light irradiation. Whereas, to our knowledge, only 70% of the decomposition rate of MO was achieved by commercial photocatalyst P25 under the similar reaction condition. Additionally, the rutile preparation temperature did not exceed 100 °C, which was much lower than the traditional preparation calcination temperature (e.g., 600 °C). The specific surface area of Fe doped catalysts was bigger than that of the control sample and the catalyst characterization indicated that the doped iron was incorporated into the rutile TiO2 lattice and resulted in the lattice disorder. The lattice disorder would have generated surface defects in the crystal structure, which was in favor of the photocatalytic reaction. The UV-Vis diffuse refection characterization and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation suggested that doping a small amount of Fe into the lattice of rutile would lead to a narrower band gap and the formation of a doping energy level between conduction and valence bands of TiO2. This further increased the degradation efficiency of synthetic textile dyes in wastewaters. Our study has provided a relatively easy operation for synthesis Fe doped rutile TiO2, which is a benefit to decrease the cost in wastewater treatment process.

The synergistic role of double vacancies within AgGaS2 nanocrystals in carrier separation and transfer for efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution

The double vacancies synergistically contribute to photocatalytic activity by affecting the separation and transfer efficiency of photo-generated carriers.

Deep Oxidation of NO by a Hybrid System of Plasma-N-Type Semiconductors: High-Energy Electron-Activated "Pseudo Photocatalysis" Behavior

A "pseudo photocatalysis" process, being initiated between plasma and N-type semiconductors in the absence of light, was investigated for NO removal for the first time via dynamic probing of reaction processes by FT-IR spectra. It was demonstrated that N-type semiconductor catalysts could be activated to produce electron-hole (e^--h⁺) pairs by the collision of high-energy electrons (e*) from plasma. Due to the synergy of plasma and N-type semiconductors, major changes were noted in the conversion pathways and products. NO can be directly converted to NO₂^- and NO₃^- instead of toxic NO₂, owing to the formation of O₂^- and ·OH present in catalysts. New species like O₃ or ·O may be generated from the interaction between catalyst-induced species and radicals in plasma at a higher SIE, leading to deep oxidation of existing NO₂ to N₂O₅. Experiments with added trapping agents confirmed the contribution of e^- and h⁺ from catalysts. A series of possible reactions were proposed to describe reaction pathways and the mechanism of this synergistic effect. We established a novel system and realized an e*-activated "pseudo photocatalysis" behavior, facilitating the deep degradation of NO. We expect that this new strategy would provide a new idea for in-depth analysis of plasma-activated catalysis phenomenon.

High-Efficiency "Working-in-Tandem" Nitrogen Photofixation Achieved by Assembling Plasmonic Gold Nanocrystals on Ultrathin Titania Nanosheets

The fixation of atmospheric N₂ to NH₃ is an essential process for sustaining life. One grand challenge is to develop efficient catalysts to photofix N₂ under ambient conditions. Herein we report an all-inorganic catalyst, Au nanocrystals anchored on ultrathin TiO₂ nanosheets with oxygen vacancies. It can accomplish photodriven N₂ fixation in the "working-in-tandem" pathway at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. The oxygen vacancies on the TiO₂ nanosheets chemisorb and activate N₂ molecules, which are subsequently reduced to NH₃ by hot electrons generated from plasmon excitation of the Au nanocrystals. The apparent quantum efficiency of 0.82% at 550 nm for the conversion of incident photons to NH₃ is higher than those reported so far. Optimizing the absorption across the overall visible range with the mixture of Au nanospheres and nanorods further enhances the N₂ photofixation rate by 66.2% in comparison with Au nanospheres used alone. This work offers a new approach for the rational design of efficient catalysts toward sustainable N₂ fixation through a less energy-demanding photochemical process compared to the industrial Haber-Bosch process.

Direct measurement of Ni incorporation into Fe3O4(001)

The normal incidence X-ray standing wave (NIXSW) technique has been used to follow the evolution of the adsorption geometry of Ni adatoms on the Fe₃O₄(001)-(√2 × √2)R45° surface as a function of temperature.

The normal incidence X-ray standing wave (NIXSW) technique has been used to follow the evolution of the adsorption geometry of Ni adatoms on the Fe₃O₄(001)-(√2 × √2)R45° surface as a function of temperature. Two primary surface region sites are identified: a bulk-continuation tetrahedral site and a sub-surface octahedral site, the latter site being preferred at higher annealing temperatures. The ease of incorporation is linked to the presence of subsurface cation vacancies in the (√2 × √2)R45° reconstruction and is consistent with the preference for octahedral coordination observed in the spinel compound NiFe₂O₄.

A Facile Method for the Preparation of Colored Bi₄Ti₃O12-x Nanosheets with Enhanced Visible-Light Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Activity

Bi₄Ti₃O_12−x nanosheet photocatalysts with abundant oxygen vacancies are fabricated by a facile solid-state chemical reduction method for the first time. This method is simple in operation, has short reaction time, and can be conducted at mild temperatures (300~400 °C). The electron paramagnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectrometer, and positron annihilation lifetime spectra results indicate that oxygen vacancies are produced in Bi₄Ti₃O_12−x, and they can be adjusted by tuning the reduction reaction conditions. Control experiments show that the reduction time and temperature have great influences on the photocatalytic activities of Bi₄Ti₃O_12−x. The optimal Bi₄Ti₃O_12−x is the sample undergoing the reduction treatment at 350 °C for 60 min and it affords a hydrogen evolution rate of 129 μmol·g⁻¹·h⁻¹ under visible-light irradiation, which is about 3.4 times that of the pristine Bi₄Ti₃O₁₂. The Bi₄Ti₃O_12−x photocatalysts have good reusability and storage stability and can be used to decompose formaldehyde and formic acid for hydrogen production. The surface oxygen vacancies states result in the broadening of the valence band and the narrowing of the band gap. Such energy level structure variation helps promote the separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs thus leading to enhancement in the visible-light photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Meanwhile, the narrowing of the band gap leads to a broader visible light absorption of Bi₄Ti₃O_12−x.

Superior NOx photocatalytic removal over hybrid hierarchical Bi/BiOI with high non-NO2 selectivity: synergistic effect of oxygen vacancies and bismuth nanoparticles

Oxygen vacancies and bismuth nanoparticles over Bi/BiOI simultaneously contribute to the deep oxidation of NO_x and remarkable non-NO₂ selectivity.

Acetylacetone as an efficient electron shuttle for concerted redox conversion of arsenite and nitrate in the opposite direction

The redox conversion of arsenite and nitrate has direct effects on their potential environment risks. Due to the similar reduction potentials, there are few technologies that can simultaneously oxidize arsenite and reduce nitrate in one process. Here, we demonstrate that a diketone-mediated photochemical process could efficiently do this. A combined experimental and theoretical investigation was conducted to elucidate the mechanisms behind the redox conversion in the UV/acetylacetone (AA) process. Our key finding is that UV irradiation significantly changed the redox potential of AA. The excited AA, ³(AA)*, acted as a semiquinone radical-like electron shuttle. For arsenite oxidation, the efficiency of ³(AA)* was 1-2 orders of magnitude higher than those of quinone-type electron shuttles, whereas the consumption of AA was 2-4 orders of magnitude less than those of benzonquinones. The oxidation of arsenite and reduction of nitrate could be both accelerated when they existed together in UV/AA process. The results indicate that small diketones are some neglected but potent electron shuttles of great application potential in regulating aquatic redox reactions with the combination of UV irradiation.

Molybdenum Oxides - From Fundamentals to Functionality

The properties and applications of molybdenum oxides are reviewed in depth. Molybdenum is found in various oxide stoichiometries, which have been employed for different high-value research and commercial applications. The great chemical and physical characteristics of molybdenum oxides make them versatile and highly tunable for incorporation in optical, electronic, catalytic, bio, and energy systems. Variations in the oxidation states allow manipulation of the crystal structure, morphology, oxygen vacancies, and dopants, to control and engineer electronic states. Despite this overwhelming functionality and potential, a definitive resource on molybdenum oxide is still unavailable. The aim here is to provide such a resource, while presenting an insightful outlook into future prospective applications for molybdenum oxides.

Synthesis of {111} Facet-Exposed MgO with Surface Oxygen Vacancies for Reactive Oxygen Species Generation in the Dark

Seeking a simple and moderate route to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) for antibiosis is of great interest and challenge. This work demonstrates that molecule transition and electron rearrangement processes can directly occur only through chemisorption interaction between the adsorbed O₂ and high-energy {111} facet-exposed MgO with abundant surface oxygen vacancies (SOVs), hence producing singlet oxygen and superoxide anion radicals without light irradiation. These ROS were confirmed by electron paramagnetic resonance, in situ Raman, and scavenger experiments. Furthermore, heat plays a crucial role for the electron transfer process to accelerate the formation of ·O₂^-, which is verified by temperature kinetic experiments of nitro blue tetrazolium reduction in the dark. Therefore, the presence of oxygen vacancy can be considered as an intensification of the activation process. The designed MgO is acquired in one step via constructing a reduction atmosphere during the combustion reaction process, which has an ability similar to that of noble metal Pd to activate molecular oxygen and can be used as an effective bacteriocide in the dark.

Photocatalytic materials and technologies for air purification

Since there is increasing concern for the impact of air quality on human health, the present work surveys the materials and technologies for air purification using photocatalytic materials. The coverage includes (1) current photocatalytic materials for the decomposition of chemical contaminants and disinfection of pathogens present in air and (2) photocatalytic air purification systems that are used currently and under development. The present work focuses on five main themes. First, the mechanisms of photodegradation and photodisinfection are explained. Second, system designs for photocatalytic air purification are surveyed. Third, the photocatalytic materials used for air purification and their characteristics are considered, including both conventional and more recently developed photocatalysts. Fourth, the methods used to fabricate these materials are discussed. Fifth, the most significant coverage is devoted to materials design strategies aimed at improving the performance of photocatalysts for air purification. The review concludes with a brief consideration of promising future directions for materials research in photocatalysis.

Study of the role of oxygen vacancies as active sites in reduced graphene oxide-modified TiO2

A proof-of-concept study follow RGO introduced into TiO₂ with oxygen vacancies, the role of oxygen vacancies as active sites in reduced graphene oxide-modified TiO₂.

Visible-Light-Active Plasmonic Ag-SrTiO3 Nanocomposites for the Degradation of NO in Air with High Selectivity

Harnessing inexhaustible solar energy for photocatalytic disposal of nitrogen oxides is of great significance nowadays. In this study, Ag-SrTiO3 nanocomposites (Ag-STO) were synthesized via one-pot solvothermal method for the first time. The deposition of Ag nanoparticles incurs a broad plasmonic resonance absorption in the visible light range, resulting in enhanced visible light driven activity on NO removal in comparison with pristine SrTiO3. The Ag loading amount has a significant influence on light absorption properties of Ag-STO, which further affects the photocatalytic efficiency. It was shown that 0.5% Ag loading onto SrTiO3 (in mass ratio) could remove 30% of NO in a single reaction path under visible light irradiation, which is twice higher than that achieved on pristine SrTiO3. Most importantly, the generation of harmful intermediate (NO2) is largely inhibited over SrTiO3 and Ag-STO nanocomposites, which can be ascribed to the basic surface property of strontium sites. As identified by electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra,·O2(-) and ·OH radicals are the major reactive species for NO oxidation. Essentially speaking, the abundance of reactive oxygen radicals produced over Ag-STO nanocomposites are responsible for the improved photocatalytic activity. This work provides a facile and controllable route to fabricate plasmonic Ag-SrTiO3 nanocomposite photocatalyst featuring high visible light activity and selectivity for NO abatement.

One-step construction of {001} facet-exposed BiOCl hybridized with Al2O3 for enhanced molecular oxygen activation

The conduction band position of defective Al₂O₃ obtained via a combustion synthesis is proposed and the in situ as-prepared heterojunctions containing Al₂O₃ and {001} facet-exposed BiOCl with surface oxygen vacancies exhibit excellent performance for molecular oxygen activation.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Carbon-Based (N, Fe)-Codoped TiO2 for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Formaldehyde

A microwave-assisted sol-gel method was used to synthesize (N, Fe)-codoped activated carbon (AC)/TiO2 photocatalyst for enhanced optical absorption in the visible light region. The prepared samples were characterized via X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller analysis, ultraviolet-visible light spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy. The results showed no significant difference in the surface area of AC/TiO2 (approximately 500 m(2)/g) after doping. TiO2 was uniformly distributed on the surface of AC, which exhibited coexisting anatase and rutile structures with a mean crystallite diameter of approximately 20 nm. N and Fe monodoping on AC/TiO2 reduced the energy band gap of TiO2 to 2.81 and 2.79 eV, respectively, which mainly attributed to the impurity energy formed in the energy gap of TiO2. In (N, Fe)-codoped AC/TiO2, N and Fe are incorporated into the TiO2 framework and narrow the band gap of TiO2 to 2.58 eV, thereby causing a large redshift. Codoping of N and Fe enhanced the production of hydroxyl radicals (⋅OH) and improved the photocatalytic activity of the resultant AC/TiO2 compared with those of undoped and N- or Fe-monodoped AC/TiO2. N-Fe-AC/TiO2 degraded 93 % of the formaldehyde under Xe-lamp irradiation. Moreover, the photocatalyst was easily recyclable. In summary, a novel and efficient method to mineralize low concentrations of HCHO in wastewater was discovered.

Solution combustion synthesis of metal oxide nanomaterials for energy storage and conversion

The design and synthesis of metal oxide nanomaterials is one of the key steps for achieving highly efficient energy conversion and storage on an industrial scale. Solution combustion synthesis (SCS) is a time- and energy-saving method as compared with other routes, especially for the preparation of complex oxides which can be easily adapted for scale-up applications. This review summarizes the synthesis of various metal oxide nanomaterials and their applications for energy conversion and storage, including lithium-ion batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen and methane production, fuel cells and solar cells. In particular, some novel concepts such as reverse support combustion, self-combustion of ionic liquids, and creation of oxygen vacancies are presented. SCS has some unique advantages such as its capability for in situ doping of oxides and construction of heterojunctions. The well-developed porosity and large specific surface area caused by gas evolution during the combustion process endow the resulting materials with exceptional properties. The relationship between the structural properties of the metal oxides studied and their performance is discussed. Finally, the conclusions and perspectives are briefly presented.

Highly efficient and stable Au/CeO2-TiO2 photocatalyst for nitric oxide abatement: potential application in flue gas treatment

In the present work, highly efficient and stable Au/CeO2-TiO2 photocatalysts were prepared by a microwave-assisted solution approach. The Au/CeO2-TiO2 composites with optimal molar ratio of Au/Ce/Ti of 0.004:0.1:1 delivered a remarkably high and stable NO conversion rate of 85% in a continuous flow reactor system under simulated solar light irradiation, which far exceeded the rate of 48% over pure TiO2. The tiny Au nanocrystals (∼1.1 nm) were well stabilized by CeO2 via strong metal-support bonding even it was subjected to calcinations at 550 °C for 6 h. These Au nanocrystals served as the very active sites for activating the molecule of nitric oxide and reducing the transmission time of the photogenerated electrons to accelerate O2 transforming to reactive oxygen species. Moreover, the Au-Ce(3+) interface formed and served as an anchoring site of O2 molecule. Then more adsorbed oxygen could react with photogenerated electrons on TiO2 surfaces to produce more superoxide radicals for NO oxidation, resulting in the improved efficiency. Meanwhile, O2 was also captured at the Au/TiO2 perimeter site and the NO molecules on TiO2 sites were initially delivered to the active perimeter site via diffusion on the TiO2 surface, where they assisted O-O bond dissociation and reacted with oxygen at these perimeter sites. Therefore, these finite Au nanocrystals can consecutively expose active sites for oxidizing NO. These synergistic effects created an efficient and stable system for breaking down NO pollutants. Furthermore, the excellent antisintering property of the catalyst will allow them for the potential application in photocatalytic treatment of high-temperature flue gas from power plant.

Nitroarene reduction: a trusted model reaction to test nanoparticle catalysts

Nitrophenol reduction to aminophenol with a reducing agent is conveniently carried out in aqueous medium mainly with a metal or metal oxide catalyst. This reduction is presently considered as a benchmark reaction to test a catalyst nanoparticle. Thousands of original reports have enriched this field of nanoparticle catalyzed reaction. Synthesis of different metal and metal oxide nanoparticles and their composites along with their role as catalysts for nitrophenol reduction with varying reducing agents have been elucidated here. The progress of the reaction is conveniently monitored by UV-visible spectrophotometry and hence it becomes a universally accepted model reaction. In this review we have discussed the reaction kinetics considering its elegance and importance enlightening the long known Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism and Eley-Rideal mechanism at length, along with a few other mechanisms recently reported. A brief description of the synthetic procedures of various nanoparticles and their respective catalytic behaviour towards nitroarene reduction has also been accounted here.

Ionic liquid self-combustion synthesis of BiOBr/Bi24O31Br10 heterojunctions with exceptional visible-light photocatalytic performances

Heterostructured BiOBr/Bi24O31Br10 nanocomposites with surface oxygen vacancies are constructed by a facile in situ route of one-step self-combustion of ionic liquids. The compositions can be easily controlled by simply adjusting the fuel ratio of urea and 2-bromoethylamine hydrobromide (BTH). BTH serves not only as a fuel, but also as a complexing agent for ionic liquids and a reactant to supply the Br element. The heterojunctions show remarkable adsorptive ability for both the cationic dye of rhodamine B (RhB) and the anionic dye of methylene orange (MO) at high concentrations, which is attributed to the abundant surface oxygen vacancies. The sample containing 75.2% BiOBr and 24.8% Bi24O31Br10 exhibits the highest photocatalytic activity. Its reaction rate constant is 4.0 and 9.0 times that of pure BiOBr in degrading 50 mg L(-1) of RhB and 30 mg L(-1) of MO under visible-light (λ > 400 nm) irradiation, respectively, which is attributed to the narrow band gap and highly efficient transfer efficiency of charge carriers. Different photocatalytic reaction processes and mechanisms over pure BiOBr and heterojunctions are proposed.

Visible light driven photocatalytic elimination of organic- and microbial pollution by rutile-phase titanium dioxides: new insights on the dynamic relationship between morpho-structural parameters and photocatalytic performance

For the visible light driven photocatalytic performance of rutile the presence of Ti–O–O– entities is more preferable than Ti³⁺.

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous LaMnO3 with tunable oxygen vacancies via nitric acid-aided modulating and their catalytic combustion properties

Three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) LaMnO₃ oxides with tunable oxygen vacancies have been successfully fabricated via a facile nitric acid-aided modulating sol–gel method.

Atomic-scale control of TiO₆ octahedra through solution chemistry towards giant dielectric response

The structures of many important functional oxides contain networks of metal-oxygen polyhedral units i.e.MO_n. The correlation between the configurations and connectivities of these MO_n to properties is essentially important to be well established to conduct the design, synthesis and application of new MO_n-based functional materials. In this paper, we report on an atomic-scale solution-chemistry approach that for the first time enables TiO₆ octahedral network control starting from metastable brookite TiO₂ through simultaneously tuning pH values and interfering ions (Fe³⁺, Sc³⁺, and Sm³⁺). The relationship between solution chemistry and the resultant configuration/connectivity of TiO₆ octahedra in TiO₂ and lepidocrocite titanate is mapped out. Apart from differing crystalline phases and morphologies, atomic-scale TiO₆ octahedral control also endows numerous defect dipoles for giant dielectric responses. The structural and property evolutions are well interpreted by the associated H⁺/OH⁻ species in solution and/or defect states associated with Fe³⁺ occupation within TiO₆ octahedra. This work therefore provides fundamental new insights into controlling TiO₆ octahedral arrangement essential for atomic-scale structure-property design.

New organic donor-acceptor-π-acceptor sensitizers for efficient dye-sensitized solar cells and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution under visible-light irradiation

Two organic donor-acceptor-π-acceptor (D-A-π-A) sensitizers (AQ and AP), containing quinoxaline/pyrido[3,4-b]pyrazine as the auxiliary acceptor, have been. Through fine-tuning of the auxiliary acceptor, a higher designed and synthesized photoelectric conversion efficiency of 6.02% for the AQ-based dye-sensitized solar cells under standard global AM1.5 solar conditions was achieved. Also, it was found that AQ-Pt/TiO2 photocatalysts displayed a better rate of H2 evolution under visible-light irradiation (420 nm<λ<780 nm) because of the stability of the oxidized states and the lower rates of electron recombination. Importantly, sensitizers AQ and AP-Pt/TiO2 showed strong photocatalytic activity during continuous light soaking for 10 h with methanol as the sacrificial electron donor. Additionally, the processes of their intermolecular electron transfer were further investigated theoretically by using time-dependent DFT. The calculated results indicate that the auxiliary acceptor plays the role of an electron trap and results in broad spectral responses.

Enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity of active Al₂O₃/g-C₃N₄ heterojunctions synthesized via surface hydroxyl modification

Novel Al2O3/g-C3N4 heterojunction photocatalysts were fabricated through ultrasonic dispersion method. Al2O3, obtained via solution combustion, contained amorphous ingredient with lots of defect sites and was used as active component for transferring photo-induced electrons of g-C3N4. G-C3N4 was grafted surface hydroxyl groups in the presence of ammonia aqueous solution to combine with Al2O3 possessing positive charges via hydrogen bond. The XRD, SEM, element map, TEM, HRTEM, FT-IR, and XPS results indicate that these synthesized materials are two-phase hybrids of Al2O3 and g-C3N4 with interaction. The photocatalytic results for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) indicate that the most active heterojunction proportion is 60wt.% g-C3N4:40wt.% Al2O3, the visible light photocatalytic activity of which is 3.8 times that of a mechanical mixture. The enhanced performance is attributed to the high separation efficiency of photo-induced electrons from the LUMO of g-C3N4 injected into the defect sites of Al2O3, which is verified by photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL) and surface photovoltage (SPV) measurements. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) signals and radical scavengers trapping experiments reveal holes (h(+)) and superoxide anion radical (O2(-)) are the main active species responsible for the degradation of RhB.

Bismuth oxyhalide nanomaterials: layered structures meet photocatalysis

In recent years, layered bismuth oxyhalide nanomaterials have received more and more interest as promising photocatalysts because their unique layered structures endow them with fascinating physicochemical properties; thus, they have great potential photocatalytic applications for environment remediation and energy harvesting. In this article, we explore the synthesis strategies and growth mechanisms of layered bismuth oxyhalide nanomaterials, and propose design principles of tailoring a layered configuration to control the nanoarchitectures for high efficient photocatalysis. Subsequently, we focus on their layered structure dependent properties, including pH-related crystal facet exposure and phase transformation, facet-dependent photoactivity and molecular oxygen activation pathways, so as to clarify the origin of the layered structure dependent photoreactivity. Furthermore, we summarize various strategies for modulating the composition and arrangement of layered structures to enhance the photoactivity of nanostructured bismuth oxyhalides via internal electric field tuning, dehalogenation effect, surface functionalization, doping, plasmon modification, and heterojunction construction, which may offer efficient guidance for the design and construction of high-performance bismuth oxyhalide-based photocatalysis systems. Finally, we highlight some crucial issues in engineering the layered-structure mediated properties of bismuth oxyhalide photocatalysts and provide tentative suggestions for future research on increasing their photocatalytic performance.