Abstract
Mesoporous LaFeO3/g-C3N4 Z-scheme heterojunctions (LFC) were synthesized via the incorporation of LaFeO3 nanoparticles and porous g-C3N4 ultrathin nanosheets. The as prepared LFC were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, Raman spectra and N2 adsorption analysis. The structural analysis indicated that the reheating process and the addition of NH4Cl in the thermal polymerization were the key factors to get porous g-C3N4 ultrathin nanosheets and to obtain high specific surface areas of LFC. It remarkably enhanced the adsorption capacity and photocatalytic degradation of LFC for removal of oxytetracycline (OTC). The effect of the mass percentage of LaFeO3 in LFC, pH and temperature on the OTC adsorption was investigated. The LaFeO3/g-C3N4 heterojunction with 2 wt % LaFeO3 (2-LFC) exhibited highest saturated adsorption capacity (101.67 mg g−1) and largest photocatalytic degradation rate constant (1.35 L g−1 min−1), which was about 9 and 5 times higher than that of bulk g-C3N4 (CN), respectively. This work provided a facile method to prepare mesoporous LaFeO3/g-C3N4 heterojunctions with especially well adsorption and photocatalytic activities for OTC, which can facilitate its practical applications in pollution control.
Highlights
Environmental pollution is one of the most formidable challenges that human being currently confronts [1]
The adsorption of organic pollutants on the surface of photocatalysts was the prerequisite for mineralization of the pollutants
The combination of adsorption with photocatalysis should fabricate a class of materials with higher efficiency
Summary
Environmental pollution is one of the most formidable challenges that human being currently confronts [1]. Antibiotic is a kind of persistent pollutant. Various antibiotics have been found in rivers, soils and groundwater. The increasing antibiotic resistance caused by the release of drugs and specific chemicals into the environment has become the most worrying health threats at present [2,3]. Several methods, such as biodegradation [4], adsorption [5] and photocatalytic degradation, have been utilized to remove antibiotic pollutants in water. The photocatalysis can be satisfactory applied for decontamination of natural samples through the photocatalytic degradation of toxic pollutants from
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