Excellent photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline under visible illumination utilizing Ag2S/Ag2O heterojunction

Abstract

Tetracycline (TC) is nowadays among the most frequently used antibiotics in human medicine, biomedicine, and agricultural applications. Tetracycline's tenacity has made it necessary to employ precautions to preserve the ecosystem from harmful contaminants. Here, mesoporous Ag2O nanoparticles (NPs) with a mean particle size of 20 nm were produced simply using a triblock copolymer (F127). The created Ag2O NPs were then combined with various amounts of Ag2S to manufacture Ag2S/Ag2O heterojunctions with superior visible light photocatalytic activity. Prepared photocatalysts were confirmed to possess an increased surface area with a mesoporous texture. Ag2S NPs emerged as tiny particles that were evenly dispersed throughout the Ag2O matrix, as revealed by TEM examination. In this work, the photodegradation of tetracycline was examined employing Ag2S/Ag2O nanocomposites under visible light, and the findings were subsequently contrasted with those obtained using a pure Ag2O photocatalyst. The maximum photocatalytic effectiveness (100%) of TE decomposition under visible illumination was demonstrated by the mesoporous Ag2S/Ag2O nanocomposite containing 3 wt% Ag2S beyond 90 min, whereas only 70% of TC was photo-catalytically degraded over pure Ag2O under the same circumstances. A plausible mechanism proposed •OH radicals as the major species for the photodecomposition process in light of the intermediates observed during the TC decomposition. Remarkable stability was shown by the optimized composite, demonstrating its feasibility for recycling. This work provides an innovative viewpoint for developing a very effective heterojunction to remove antibiotics from contaminated systems.