Accelerated electron and mass transfer through constructing H₂WO₄/Ti₃C₂/g-C₃N₄ Z-scheme photocatalyst for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Photocatalyst efficiency relies on electron transport and mass transfer.
• Z-scheme heterojunctions offer enhanced photocatalytic activity.
• MXene materials show promise in composite photocatalysts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and prepare an effective H₂WO₄/Ti₃C₂/g-C₃N₄ (HTC) Z-scheme heterojunction.
• To investigate the role of Ti₃C₂ in improving electron and mass transfer.
• To evaluate the photocatalytic performance of HTC for Cr(VI) removal and tetracycline degradation.

Main Methods:

• Interfacial engineering for heterojunction synthesis.
• Visible light photocatalysis experiments for Cr(VI) reduction and tetracycline degradation.
• Photocurrent measurements and DFT calculations to study charge transfer dynamics.
• HPLC-MS analysis for degradation product identification and QSAR for toxicity estimation.

Main Results:

• HTC heterojunction removed 97.4% of Cr(VI) in 10 min and 96% of tetracycline in 30 min.
• Introduction of Ti₃C₂ increased Cr(VI) reduction rate by 21x and improved electronic conductivity by 64x and ionic diffusion by 1064x.
• DFT calculations confirmed the Z-scheme mechanism and internal electric field promoting charge transfer.
• High antibacterial efficiency against E. coli (98.4%) and S. aureus (99.7%) was observed.

Conclusions:

• The HTC Z-scheme heterojunction significantly enhances photocatalytic efficiency through improved electron and mass transfer.
• Ti₃C₂ plays a crucial role in boosting the performance of the heterojunction.
• The developed material shows great potential for environmental remediation applications, including pollutant degradation and antibacterial activity.