CdBi2S4-Decorated Aminated Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber for Photocatalytic Treatment of Cr(VI) and Tetracycline Wastewater.

Abstract

The significant threat posed by the high toxicity of heavy metals and antibiotics in water pollutants has prompted a growing emphasis on the development of highly efficient removal methods for these pollutants. In this paper, flexible electrospinning polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber-supported CdBi2S4 was synthesized via a hydrothermal method, followed by amination treatment with diethylenetriamine (DETA). The as-prepared CdBi2S4/NH2-PAN nanofiber, enriched with sulfur vacancies, demonstrated outstanding visible-light trapping ability and a suitable band gap, leading to efficient separation and transport of photogenerated carriers, ultimately resulting in exceptional photocatalytic capability. The optimal 3-CdBi2S4/NH2-PAN nanofiber achieved impressive reduction rates of 92.26% for Cr(VI) and 96.45% for tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) within 120 min, which were much higher than those for CdS/NH2-PAN, Bi2S3/NH2-PAN, and CdBi2S4/PAN nanofibers. After five cycles, the removal rate of the CdBi2S4/NH2-PAN nanofiber consistently remained above 90%. Their ease of separation and recovery from the application environment contributes to their practicality. Additionally, compared with conventional suspended particle catalyzers, the composite nanofiber exhibited remarkable flexibility and self-supporting properties.