Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Emerging Contaminants Using Ti₃C₂T MXene-Supported CdS Quantum Dots

The synthesis of efficient and stable catalysts for photocatalytic reactions is still a challenge. In this study, a new photocatalyst composed of two-dimensional titanium carbide (Ti₃C₂T) and CdS quantum dots (QDs) was fabricated, in which CdS QDs were intimately anchored on the Ti₃C₂T sheet surface. Due to the specific interface characteristics of CdS QDs/Ti₃C₂T, Ti₃C₂T can considerably facilitate the generation of photogenerated charge carriers, their separation, and their transfer from CdS. As expected, the obtained CdS QDs/Ti₃C₂T exhibit outstanding photocatalytic performance for carbamazepine (CBZ) degradation. Moreover, the quenching experiments demonstrated that superoxide radicals (^•O₂^-), H₂O₂, ¹O₂, and ^•OH are the reactive species involved in CBZ degradation, while ^•O₂^- made a major contribution. In addition, the sunlight-driven CdS QDs/Ti₃C₂T photocatalytic system is widely suitable for the elimination of different emerging pollutants in various water matrices, suggesting its potential practical environmental applications.