Out-of-plane Cu-functionalized Ti3C2Tx for electrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride via a superoxide radical-dominated pathway

This work proposed a novel mechanism linking Cu(OH) 2 to MXene material, which promotes the development of 2D-dimensional material in TC degradation. • The optimized system enhances the efficiency by generating ·O 2 − and 1 O 2 , ·OH. ·O 2 − plays a significant role in TC degradation. • The catalyst maintain 87.94% activity over 4 times recycle, outperforming existing materials. • Performance of the strategy is friendly to environment, the metabolite is CO 2 and H 2 O. Ti 3 C 2 T x has emerged as a promising electrocatalyst for environmental remediation, yet its practical application is often limited by insufficient active site exposure and poor operational stability. In this study, we developed out-of-plane Cu-functionalized Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets (Ti 3 C 2 Tx@Cu) decorated with Cu(OH) 2 clusters of approximately 5-30 nm in size, which significantly enhance the electrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). Comprehensive theoretical and experimental analyses confirm that the spontaneously anchored Cu species not only improve electrical conductivity but also markedly boost catalytic activity. The optimized Ti 3 C 2 Tx@Cu catalyst achieves complete degradation of TC within 30 min, outperforming pristine Ti 3 C 2 T x. Mechanistic investigations reveal that the introduction of Cu promotes the predominant generation of superoxide radicals (·O 2 − ), shifting the degradation pathway from a combined effect of ·OH, ·O 2 − and 1 O 2 in the pure Ti 3 C 2 T x system to a ·O 2 − dominated process in the Ti 3 C 2 Tx@Cu system. This work provides an effective strategy for enhancing MXene-based electrocatalysts and underscores their potential in addressing antibiotic contamination, thereby contributing to public health and environmental sustainability.