Photoelectrocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole with contrivable MnOx@Co/NC core-shell heterostructures derived from ZIF-67

Antibiotic drugs are biotoxic and difficult to degrade, causing irreversible effects on aquatic environment and human health. The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) process is regarded as a promising strategy for simultaneously addressing environmental pollution and the energy crisis. Herein, a plum tree-type composite semiconductor photoanode MnOx@Co/NC-x with core-shell heterostructures was constructed to evaluate the PEC activity for sulfamethoxazole (SMX). The synergistic effects of Co nanoparticles, a high content of graphitic N, an open framework, and interfacial structures played a decisive role in improving the PEC activity of the MnOx@Co/NC-x system. The engineered micro-nano structure significantly improved the specific surface area and conductivity of electrode materials, and promoted the diffusion of electrolyte. Among them, MnOx@Co/NC-500 photoanode exhibited the best performance (reached 98.92% in 50 min), cyclic stability and repeatability. The results showed that it was feasible to construct a high-performance heterostructural interface for pollutant treatment based on micro-nano structure regulation and valence band matching.