Enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity of bismuth oxide via the decoration of titanium carbide quantum dots

Abstract

In Ti₃C₂ quantum dots (Ti₃C₂ QDs)/Bi₂O₃ photocatalysts system, Ti₃C₂ QDs can act as a co-catalyst to greatly boost the photocatalytic performance of Bi₂O₃. Ti₃C₂ QDs with excellent light adsorption ability can improve the light response of the system, and the fascinating electronic property can function as a channel for electron transfer. Moreover, Ti₃C₂ QDs possess larger specific area and more active edge atoms thanks to the size effect. The best Ti₃C₂ QDs/Bi₂O₃ composite with the loading amounts of 75 mL of Ti₃C₂ QDs solution showed much higher photocatalytic performance (nearly 5.85 times) for tetracycline (TC) degradation than that of pristine Bi₂O₃ under visible light irradiation. These different photocatalytic performances shed light on the key role of Ti₃C₂ QDs in stimulating the photocatalytic activity of Bi₂O₃. Moreover, Ti₃C₂ QDs/Bi₂O₃ composites exhibited excellent stability in recycling experiments and actual water sample treatment.

Keywords: Bi(2)O(3); Co-catalysis; Photocatalysis; Ti(3)C(2) MXene quantum dots.