Oxygen Vacancy Engineering via Chlorine Doping in Bismuth Ferrite: A Strategy for Enhanced Catalytic and Multiferroic Properties

This study investigates the effects of chlorine doping on the structural, optical, magnetic, dielectric, and catalytic properties of bismuth ferrite (BFO) nanoparticles. Chlorine‐doped BFO (BFO–Cl) was synthesized via a modified auto‐combustion method. Comprehensive characterization revealed that chlorine incorporation reduced oxygen vacancies and expanded the lattice without altering the rhombohedral structure. BFO–Cl exhibited a narrower bandgap, improved magnetic properties, and reduced dielectric loss compared to pristine BFO. Notably, BFO–Cl demonstrated superior photocatalytic activity for methylene blue degradation and catalytic reduction of 4‐nitrophenol. The enhanced performance is attributed to improved charge carrier dynamics resulting from reduced oxygen vacancies. This work provides insights into tuning the multiferroic properties of BFO through strategic doping for environmental remediation applications.