Since its special layered structure and better photocatalytic performance, BiOI has been widely studied as a new type of semiconductor photocatalyst. However, due to the small band gap, electrons and holes of BiOI are prone to recombination. Therefore, researchers have tried various strategies to improve the photocatalytic activity of BiOI materials. Based on the principle of semiconductor photocatalysis, this paper reviews the research progress and regulation mechanism of BiOI photocatalyst in recent years. The effects of modification methods such as vacancy defects, doping defects, surface regulation, heteroconstruction and noble metal modification on the photocatalytic performance of BiOI are introduced in detail. It is revealed that regulating the electronic structure and optical properties of BiOI could improve its photocatalytic activity due to enhanced light absorption and enhanced separation efficiency of charge carriers. The discussion on the interaction mechanism of light and BiOI micro-nano structure will provide a new way to break through the technical bottleneck of semiconductor photocatalytic materials, develop sustainable and clean environmental energy, design novel high-performance semiconductor photocatalytic technology, and promote the practical application of BiOI in the field of photocatalysis.

photocatalysis; semiconductor; vacancy; doping; carriers