Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance of 2D/1D NiO/ZnO Heterostructures Towards Tetracycline Degradation

The design and synthesis of semiconductor photocatalysts by morphology control is a key step to improve photocatalytic performance. Herein, a series of NiO/ZnO composites with core-shell nanostructures were synthesized by in-situ growth of 2D NiO nanosheets onto 1D ZnO nanorods. The chemical composition, morphology, and optical properties of the synthesized composites were characterized and discussed in detail. The obtained NiO/ZnO composite exhibited enhanced photocatalytic performance with 94.3% degradation efficiency for tetracycline (TC) within 20 min illumination, which was mainly attributed to the heterostructure formed by the excellent interface contact of the nanostructure, thereby inhibiting the recombination of photogenerated charges. Additionally, the as-synthesized photocatalyst shown satisfactory photocatalytic activity and TOC removal efficiency in cyclic experiments. The present work provides a novel insight for the design of heterojunction photocatalysts with multidimensional nanostructures and environmentally friendly applications.