Few Layered BiOBr with Expanded Interlayer Spacing and Oxygen Vacancies for Efficient Decomposition of Real Oil Field Produced Wastewater

Previous reports have demonstrated that carrier and exciton photocatalysis processes all occur with BiOBr photocatalysts. The photocatalytic properties of BiOBr can be improved through optimizing any of these processes. Herein, few-layered BiOBr nanosheets with expanded interlayer spacing and oxygen vacancies have been synthesized in situ and applied for environmental remediation, specifically for oil field produced wastewater decomposition. The efficient photocatalytic activity of few-layered BiOBr is due to the synergistic effect of both enhanced exciton and carrier photocatalysis, which has been explored and explained by trapping experiments, electron spin resonance (ERS) test, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) quantification experiments. This work demonstrates a novel, green, and sustainable method for the decomposition of oil field produced wastewater.