Two-dimensional Ti3C2TX-nanosheets/Cu2O composite as a high-performance photocatalyst for decomposition of tetracycline

Construction of photocatalysts with a Schottky heterojunction could realize highly efficient and stable degradation of organic pollutes in the wastewater. In this work, a precipitation method was used to prepare Ti3C2TX-nanosheets/Cu2O composite photocatalysts with the Schottky heterojunction for the decomposition of tetracycline (TC) antibiotics under visible light. As-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by various techniques such as X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), High resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). When the best Ti3C2TX-nanosheets/Cu2O composite was applied for the degradation of TC under visible light, the degradation efficiency reached up to 97.6% only in 50 min. It is considered that superoxide radical (O-2(-center dot)) and hole (h(+)) were the main reactive species for the TC degradation, and in the Schottky heterojunction, e(-)-h(+) pairs in the catalyst could be transferred and separated effectively, resulting in obviously enhanced photocatalytic efficiency and stability.