Synergistic photo-Fenton degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride over highly efficient amorphous CuSn(OH)6 nanorods

Abstract

Amorphous CuSn(OH)₆ nanorods were synthesized by a facile co-precipitation method, and applied as an efficient photo-Fenton catalyst for the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH). The morphology, structural features, and optical properties of the as-synthesized catalysts were systematically characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV–vis DRS). Compared with crystal materials, amorphous CuSn(OH)₆ nanorods have the large specific surface area and narrow band gap. Under visible light irradiation, the amorphous CuSn(OH)₆ nanorods achieved 95.5% TCH degradation within 60 min, representing a two-fold improvement over CuSn(OH)₆ nanocrystallines. Key operational parameters, including catalyst dosage, H₂O₂ concentration, initial TCH concentration, solution pH, and reaction temperature, were systematically investigated to evaluate their effects on the degradation efficiency. Furthermore, a plausible catalytic mechanism for the amorphous CuSn(OH)₆ nanorods in the photo-Fenton process was proposed. This study offers new insights into the design of amorphous photocatalysts for advanced oxidation processes in antibiotic-containing wastewater treatment.