Combination of oxygen-vacancy-rich TiO_2−x with WS₂/Co₃S₄/Co₉S₈ for photocatalytic degradation of effluents boosted by dual Z-scheme carriers transfer

Photocatalysts have displayed a beneficial role in sustainable water treatment and conservation of environmental resources due to their high durability, recyclability, ambient working conditions, and utilization of solar energy as a new and environmentally friendly technology. In this study, TiO_2−x/WS₂/Co₃S₄/Co₉S₈ (denoted as TOx/WSC) nanoparticles were synthesized in a cost-effectively and straightforward manner, and their catalytic efficiency in the degradation of some antibiotic and dye contaminants was evaluated. The TOx/WSC nanocomposites exhibited minimal intrinsic resistance to electron-hole motion, so the removal rate of TC (tetracycline ) contaminant was 2.88 times faster than TOx and 4.22 folds superior than WSC catalysts. The boosted ability to degrade contaminants can be associated with the synergistic effect of the oxygen vacancy engineering and the dual Z -scheme system, which markedly inhibited the carriers recombination, accelerated charges transmission, and enhanced the adsorption of contaminants on the surface and their degradation. The optimum TOx/WSC nanocomposite had high recyclability, so that it maintained its durability after four consecutive degradation cycles. The innovation of this research lies in the development of entirely novel TOx/WSC nanocomposites synthesized and evaluated for the first time. Finally, the exceptionally high growth of lentil seeds with TC solution treated by TOx/WSC nanocomposite relative to water containing the contaminant confirmed the biocompatibility of the desired nanocomposite. Hence, this emerging material furnishes substantial insights into the effective degradation of contaminants in wastewater based on modified TiO₂.