Bi2O3 Modified Floatable Hollow Glass Microspheres Supported TiO2 to Construct II-Scheme Heterojunction for Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline Hydrochloride

Photocatalysis technology has garnered significant attentions for addressing water pollution issues, however, conventional photocatalysts face great challenges such as poor recoverability, low light utilization rates, and severe caking that hinder their widespread use. This study presents the development of floating Bi₂O₃/TiO₂/HGM (BTH) photocatalysts utilizing hollow glass microspheres (HGM) as a supporting material. The optimized heterojunction of BTH-0.3 achieves an 83.9% removal rate of tetracycline hydrochloride within 60 min irradiation under simulated sunlight, surpassing the 77.3% achieved by TH-2 loaded with only TiO₂ and the 62% achieved by pure Bi₂O₃. Furthermore, BTH-0.3 exhibits outstanding photocatalytic performance across varying solution pH levels and diverse water matrices. Moreover, consistent tetracycline hydrochloride removal rates were observed over four consecutive degradation cycles, demonstrating its excellent reusability. This research offers a promising approach with practical potential for addressing water pollution challenges via photocatalytic technology.