Revealing the charge transfer mechanism in magnetically recyclable ternary g-C3N4/BiOBr/Fe3O4 nanocomposite for efficient photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline antibiotics

Pharmaceutical compounds in water bodies pose hazards to the ecosystem because of their biotoxicity potency. To eradicate such pharmaceutical compounds, a novel g-CN/BiOBr/Fe(3)O(4 )nanocomposites was prepared using a simplistic route and appraised for photodegradation of model tetracycline antibiotics. The g-CN/BiOBr/Fe(3)O(4 )nanocomposites exhibited complete tetracycline degradation in just 60 min exposure of simulated light irradiation, which is 6 times higher than the g-CN. Under the analogous condition, the tetracycline mineralization ability of the g-CN/BiOBr/Fe3O4 nanocomposites was evaluated to be 78% of total organic carbon removal. The superior photocatalytic performance is ascribed to the extended visible light harvesting ability and enhanced charge carrier separation/transfer with impeded recombination rate in light of effective indirect Z-scheme heterojunction construction. Based on band-edge potential and radical trapping studies indicate that h+ > O-center dot(2)- > (OH)-O-center dot are the active species responsible for photodegradation. Furthermore, the ternary nanocomposites are magnetically retrievable and recyclable while retaining their stable photocatalytic performance. This work endows a new perspective on the rational design and construction of magnetically recoverable ternary nano composite for environmental remediation.

Automated summary

In this study, a novel g-CN/BiOBr/Fe(3)O(4) nanocomposite was prepared using a simplified method and evaluated for the photodegradation of model tetracycline antibiotics. The nanocomposite exhibited high degradation and mineralization efficiency under simulated light irradiation, thanks to its extended visible light harvesting ability and efficient charge separation. It also possesses magnetic retrievability and retains stable photocatalytic performance.