Construction of Ag2CO3/ZnFe2O4/bentonite Z-type heterojunction photocatalyst and efficient degradation of norfloxacin

A novel Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 /bentonite composite photocatalyst with a Z-type heterojunction was prepared using a solvothermal-in situ precipitation method. Under optimal conditions, with a mass ratio of ZnFe 2 O 4 to bentonite at 1:1.5 and a mass ratio of Ag 2 CO 3 to ZnFe 2 O 4 /bentonite at 1:3, the removal rate of norfloxacin (NOR) solution at 30 mg/L by Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 /bentonite under visible light irradiation was found to be as high as 94.40% At the same time, the photocatalyst has good universality and reuse stability. The experimental results of photocatalyst characterization and mechanism exploration demonstrate that the photocatalytic activity of Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 /bentonite is significantly enhanced, which can be attributed to the effective separation of electron-hole pairs, improvement in visible light absorption capacity, and enhancement of adsorption properties. The radical capture experiments revealed that h + played a pivotal role in the photocatalytic degradation of NOR by Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 /bentonite, while ·O 2 − and ·OH acted as secondary factors. Ultimately, a Z-type heterojunction electron transfer mechanism was proposed. This study proposes the Ag 2 CO 3 /ZnFe 2 O 4 /bentonite photocatalysts with excellent stability for the treatment of NOR.