Ligand-Free One-Step Synthesis of {001} Faceted Semiconducting BiOCl Single Crystals and Their Photocatalytic Activity

Herein, we report one-step ligand-free hydrothermal synthesis of predominantly {001}-faceted micron-sized single crystals of bismuth oxychloride (BiOCl). The structural chlorine is obtained by in situ generation of chloride ions. From Raman spectra, we could resolve the Eg transition. Photocatalytic activity of as-synthesized crystals showed 78% degradation of RhB dye under a xenon source after 120 min of exposure.