Tuning interfacial charge transfer for efficient photodegradation of tetracycline hydrochloride over Ti3C2/Bi12O17Cl2 Schottky heterojunction and theoretical calculations

Abstract

In the ecological environment, tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) is one of the excessive antibiotics from water, which has watched the eye of researchers. Developing a high-performance photocatalyst to address this phenomenon still faces a big challenge. Herein, we describe a straightforward chemical procedure in-situ self-assembly via one-step solvothermal process to create a new two-dimensional/two-dimensional (2D/2D) Ti₃C₂/Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ heterojunction. The heterojunction at the interface with a strong chemical interaction between Ti₃C₂ and Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ is well revealed by the serial characterizations and theoretical calculations. The superior photocatalytic activity of Ti₃C₂/Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ is attributed to its low recombination rate of electrons and holes, photothermal effect, high electron transfer during reactions and high photochemical current. Finally, the photocatalytic mechanism over Ti₃C₂/Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ is also provided. This work provides an intriguing strategy for the construction of superior photocatalysts for pollutant degradation using MXene as co-catalysts.