S-scheme QDs-sized photocatalyst fabricated through combination of TiO_2-x with gray BiOCl for efficient removal of organic pollutants upon visible light

As a safe and environmentally friendly technology, photocatalysis has a promising application in removing various pollutants from water systems. Herein, novel S-scheme QDs-sized TiO_2-x/gray BiOCl (TiO_2-x/G-BiOCl) heterojunction photocatalysts were successfully fabricated via a simple strategy. Among the photocatalysts, TiO_2-x/G-BiOCl (20 %) nanocomposite exhibited superior activity in the photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline) TC(, azithromycin (Azi), fuchsine (FS), and malachite green)MG) upon visible light, which was about 14.1, 24.8, 11.4, and 4.61 folds higher than TiO_2-x, and 18.5, 14.1, 28.4, and 11.4 times greater than G-BiOCl, respectively. The excellent photocatalytic activity of TiO_2-x/G-BiOCl (20 %) nanocomposite was attributed to the significant light-harvesting ability, diminished electron/hole pair recombination, and superior textural properties. Furthermore, the biocompatibility of the resulting solution following TC removal over the TiO_2-x/G-BiOCl (20 %) sample was investigated by the growth of wheat seeds. More importantly, this study provided new insights for designing high-efficiency visible-light-triggered photocatalysts employing defect-rich materials.