Heterogeneous photo-Fenton catalyst α-Fe

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Chemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Tetracycline (TC) is a widely used antibiotic, and its presence in wastewater poses environmental and health risks.
• Developing efficient catalysts for TC degradation is crucial for water purification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel dual Z-scheme heterojunction catalyst, α-Fe2O3@g-C3N4@NH2-MIL-101(Fe) (FGN).
• To investigate the catalytic performance of FGN for the degradation of tetracycline (TC) under visible light.
• To elucidate the degradation mechanism and the role of the Z-scheme heterojunction.

Main Methods:

• Hydrothermal synthesis of the FGN catalyst.
• Optimization of preparation conditions using orthogonal tests.
• Characterization using XRD and XPS.
• Photocatalytic degradation experiments under visible light.
• Radical scavenging experiments and EPR analysis to determine the mechanism.

Main Results:

• The FGN catalyst exhibited enhanced light absorption, improved charge separation, and reduced electron transfer resistance compared to its components.
• Optimized FGN achieved 98.33% degradation of 10 mg/L TC in 2 hours, with 92.27% degradation after 5 reuse cycles.
• The dual Z-scheme heterojunction mechanism was confirmed, promoting efficient electron-hole separation and accelerating electron transfer.

Conclusions:

• The novel FGN catalyst with a dual Z-scheme heterojunction is highly effective for TC degradation.
• The catalyst demonstrates excellent stability and reusability.
• The findings provide insights into the design of advanced photocatalysts for environmental remediation.