0D to 3D controllable nanostructures of BiOBr via a facile and fast room-temperature strategy

Abstract BiOBr photocatalysts have attracted much attention for organic contaminants degradation, water splitting, and carbon dioxide reduction. Conventional strategies for controlling the morphologies of BiOBr suffer from high temperature and pressure, long reaction times, and high cost. Herein, we demonstrate a facile and fast room-temperature hydrolysis strategy for systematically manipulating the morphology of BiOBr nanocrystals. The shape of BiOBr photocatalysts can be engineered into 0D spherical quantum dots, 1D nanorods, 2D nanosheets and 3D hierarchical architectures with well-defined morphology by using different bismuth or bromine sources, solvents, capping agents or surfactants via the hydrolysis process. The photocatalytic performance of these BiOBr materials has been investigated toward the degradation of methyl orange (MO), tetracycline hydrochloride and aureomycin hydrochloride. We for the first time provide a facile and fast route to rationally control the morphology of 0D to 3D nanostructures of BiOBr photocatalytic materials, which will create opportunities for applications for environmental remediation, solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and optoelectronic devices. These finds also pave a new way for the development of other functional nanomaterials with required morphologies.