Strong d-p covalent interaction of Mo-P bonds within phosphorus lattice-doped MoS2 boosts visible-light photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

The strong d-p covalent interaction of Mo-P bonds was obtained. • Lattice doping of P into MoS 2 formed Mo-P bonds in 0.2P-MoS 2. • 0.2P-MoS 2 achieved 91.7% tetracycline degradation under LED irradiation. Antibiotic pollution in water calls for sustainable remediation approaches such as photocatalysis. Despite its promising structure and visible-light response, MoS 2 is hindered by rapid carrier recombination, which severely restrict its photocatalytic efficiency. Herein, we reported a strategy of lattice phosphorus doping into MoS 2 to modulate the electronic structure, broaden visible-light absorption, and facilitate charge separation and migration. The optimized 0.2P-MoS 2 achieved 91.7% degradation of tetracycline (30 mg/L) within 80 min under low-power LED irradiation, with a reaction rate constant 5.5-fold higher than pristine MoS 2 . The superior photocatalytic degradation activity for 0.2P-MoS 2 arises from the narrowest band gap (1.21 eV) and accelerated charge carrier migration originated from the strong d-p covalent interactions in the generated Mo-P bonds. Radical scavenging experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance characterizations identified superoxide radicals (•O 2 − ) and holes (h⁺) as the dominant reactive species. Furthermore, possible photocatalytic degradation pathways of tetracycline were proposed over the 0.2P-MoS 2 catalyst. Moreover, the 0.2P-MoS 2 catalyst maintained high activity after five consecutive cycles, demonstrating its excellent stability. This work offers an electronic structure engineering perspective for rational design of MoS 2 -based photocatalysts and provides a viable approach for antibiotic degradation under low-power light sources, holding substantial promise for environmental remediation. Download: Download high-res image (187KB) Download: Download full-size image Strong d-p orbital hybridization of Mo-P bonds within phosphorus lattice-doped MoS 2 boosts visible-light photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline into CO 2 and H 2 O.