Rational fabrication of S, N co-doped graphene quantum dots/PbBiO2I nanocomposite for boosted photocatalytic antibiotic degradation: interfacial engineering and mechanism insights

Developing green and efficient photocatalysts is crucial in addressing the energy crisis and environmental remediation. In this study, we synthesized novel S, N co-doped graphene quantum dots (S, N-GQDs) anchored PbBiO 2 I nanospheres employing a reactive ionic liquid-assisted facile one-step solvothermal approach. We prepared a variety of S, N-GQDs/PbBiO 2 I nanocomposite with different loading amounts of S, N-GQDs and investigated their photocatalytic performance. Among these, S, N-GQDs/PbBiO 2 I-2 exhibits the highest degradation efficiency for antibiotic removal. The incorporation of S, N-GQDs significantly broadens the visible-light absorption range and accelerates the migration of photoinduced carriers, thereby enhancing photocatalytic activities. Various characterization techniques and experimental analyses were employed to explore the charge carrier transfer pathway in this system. Notably, the developed photocatalyst demonstrates two exceptional advantages: a broad-spectral response capability and environmentally-friendly properties, which are of significant relevance for practical applications. This study provides insights for the rational design of high-performance, wide-spectral-light-driven, and environmentally-friendly photocatalysts in the field of environmental remediation.