Activation of persulfate over double S-scheme photocatalyst fabricated by decoration of Fe2(MoO4)3 and MoO3 on modified g-C3N4 for degradation of pollutants

Abstract

The development of nanostructured photocatalysts with high activity is essential for the remediation of effluents. Herein, modified g-C3N4 (M-CN) was integrated with Fe2(MoO4)3/MoO3 (FMO/MO) nanoparticles by one-pot hydrothermal route, and employed to activate persulfate (PS) under visible light. The M-CN/FMO/MO nanocomposites exhibited superior performance in photocatalytic removal of three antibiotics, containing amoxicillin (AMX), azithromycin (AZT), and tetracycline (TC), and three dye pollutants, including rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB), and methyl orange (MO). The activity of M-CN/FMO/MO (20 %)/PS system for the removal of TC was 1.83, 5.86, and 55.0 folds as high as M-CN/FMO/MO (20 %), M-CN, and CN photocatalysts, respectively. The formation of a double S-scheme system enhanced the photocatalytic performance by effectively retaining electrons and holes, which have strong redox capabilities. This configuration significantly minimized charge recombination, thereby promoting efficient charge transfer and migration. Moreover, there was a significant increases in surface area compared to pure components, which provided active sites for pollutants. Eventually, the recycling test and successful growth of wheat seeds exhibited that the M-CN/FMO/MO (20 %)/PS system can be suitable for wastewater treatment. It is hoped that this system with attractive properties could be used as a promising system in wastewater detoxification.