Nitrogen and phosphorus co-doped carbon point modified 2D/2D (001)TiO2/Ti3C2Tx heterostructures for highly efficient photocatalytic degradation of antibiotics in water

The presence of antibiotics in aquatic systems poses a significant risk to both the ecological balance and human health. To address this issue, the development of advanced photocatalytic materials capable of efficiently treating antibiotic-contaminated wastewater is imperative. In this investigation, we successfully synthesized nitrogen–phosphorus co-doped carbon dots (NPCDs) modified (001) TiO2/Ti3C2Tx composites via a series of uncomplicated hydrothermal reactions, ensuring visible light responsivity. Comprehensive characterization of the composite photocatalysts was conducted using XRD, FT-IR, N2 adsorption, SEM, TEM, XPS, UV-Vis DRS, and PL techniques. Subsequently, the photocatalytic performance was assessed through the degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) and ceftiofur sodium solutions under visible light irradiation. The optimized composites exhibited remarkable photocatalytic degradation efficiencies of 93.4% and 75.5% for TC and ceftiofur sodium, respectively, under visible light, following quasi-primary kinetic behavior. Reactive free radical capture experiments highlighted the predominant roles of ˙O2− and ˙OH species in the photocatalytic degradation process. Additionally, we proposed plausible mechanisms governing photocatalytic degradation based on the obtained results. The heightened photocatalytic reactivity arises from the efficient transfer of photogenerated electrons through the NPCDs → TiO2 →Ti3C2Tx pathway, a mechanism that effectively facilitates the separation and transfer of photogenerated charge carriers.