Reinforcing the photocatalytic removal of ibuprofen antibiotic over S-scheme 2D/1D Bi12O17Cl2/V2O5 heterojunction under solar light illumination

Abstract

In our work, the Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂/V₂O₅ hybrid with a favorable S-scheme mechanism was prepared via a simple self-assembly procedure for ibuprofen (IBF) oxidation under solar light energy. The 2D Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ provides abundant active sites to immobilize 1D V₂O₅ nanorods, enhancing the interaction between two semiconductors. The establishment of the 2D/1D structure reflected a positive effect on the surface area of Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂/V₂O₅-10 %, which was linked to the reduction in the aggregation rate of V₂O₅ nanorods. Amazingly, optimal Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂/V₂O₅ photocatalysts achieved exceptional IBF degradation capacities of 88.6 % and 71.3 % under LED and direct solar light irradiation, respectively. Among the samples, the optimized Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂/V₂O₅-10 % reflected the best IBF oxidation kinetic with a reaction constant of 0.03894 min^{− 1}, which is stronger than pristine Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ (0.00885 min^{− 1}) and V₂O₅ (0.0119 min^{− 1}) by 4.4 and 3.27 times, respectively. The promoted catalytic activity was correlated to the S-scheme heterojunction between Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂ and V₂O₅ that could upgrade the solar light absorbance, facilitate the separation and transportation of charge carriers, and strengthen the redox potential of Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂/V₂O₅. Furthermore, the parameters revealed the best IBF treatment at a catalyst dosage of 0.6 g/L and a pH value of 7. Besides, Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂/V₂O₅-10 % recorded outstanding catalytic stability in six cycles without notable alteration in its structure, morphology, or optical properties. On the other hand, the radical quenching tests declared that ^•O₂⁻ and ^•OH play major contributions in IBF photooxidation over Bi₁₂O₁₇Cl₂/V₂O₅-10 %. Finally, our work offers vital guidance towards designing robust bismuth-based heterojunctions for efficient degradation of IBF antibiotics in a sustainable and cost-effective strategy.