Recent advances in engineering strategies of Bi-based photocatalysts for environmental remediation*

A bismuth-based material is innovative class of visible-light-driven photocatalysts that have paid a lot of attraction towards exceptional photo-oxidation capacity. Decomposition of water oxidation and organic contaminants have been documented with the aid of photocatalytic strategies. Although Bi provides advanced outcomes for photocatalysts towards energy development and environmental remediation, their productivity still is not at supreme level. Prompting recombination of e--h+ pairs (photogenerated) along with characteristic structural instability has restricted its usage. To resolve these issues, some strategies have been tendency to bismuth-rich strategy, elemental doping, facet control, defect engineering, and heterojunction. In this article, complete outline of electronic structures, fundamental compositions, and synthesis schemes have been conferred such as degradation of water pollutants, H₂-evolution, and CO₂ photoreduction, N₂- fixation, as well as treatment of atmospheric pollutants. Utilizing the structural-property-activity associations, comprehensive methodologies for improvement of photocatalytic progress have been discussed, including oxygen vacancies (Ov), heterojunction construction, bismuth-rich strategy, and morphology. Finally, a superior understanding for development of Bi-based photocatalysts and realistic design headed for environmental remediation via solar energy harvesting are outlined