Exploiting Cu2O-MXene(Ti3C2) photocatalysts with visible light drive for the degradation of sulfamethazine in the environment

Photocatalytic technology has received a great deal of attention due to its high efficiency and environmentally friendly properties in the treatment of wastewater. MXene, a rapidly expanding family of two-dimensional materials, is widely used in various fields due to its unique layered structure, large specific surface area, excellent hydrophilicity and strong electrochemical performance. In this paper, a simple hydrothermal method has been used to synthesize Cu2O-MXene(Ti3C2) photocatalysts. The successful introduction of Ti3C2 MXene reduced the surface transfer resistance to promote electron transfer, effectively inhibited electron-hole complexation and increased the specific surface area of the catalyst. The prepared samples have excellent photocatalytic properties due to the above-mentioned advantages. Efficient degradation of antibiotics was achieved with the maximum degradation rate of sulfamethazine (SM2) by M2-Cu2O reaching 85.7 % in 160 min. It was experimentally confirmed that center dot O- 2 and h+ played the major roles in the degradation process, and possible degradation pathways and photocatalytic mechanisms were proposed in conjunction with HPLC-MS/MS. Finally, the intermediate products were tested for their biotoxicity. This work provides a strategy for the construction of highly catalytically active Cu2O-based catalysts.