BiOI thin film (BiOI TF) was prepared via a low temperature chemical vapor transport (CVT) route for the first time, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, fast-Fourier transform pattern and UV-vis diffuse reflectance. As-synthesized BiOI thin film was composed of high symmetrical BiOI nanosheets with dominant exposed {0 0 1} facets. It displayed better photocatalytic activity, durability and selectivity than benchmark P25 TiO2 thin film and the origin come from the layered structure and good photoelectrochemical performance, CVT immobilization, the 100% terminal oxygen atoms of {0 0 1} facets, respectively. At end, the photocatalytic mechanism with O-2(center dot-) production was studied. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.