Enhanced Visible Light Driven of Novel 2d/2d Conb2o6/G-C3n5 Type-Ii Heterojunction for Boosting Photocatalytic Degradation of Cefuroxime: Performance and Mechanistic Insights

Abstract

In the current study, a novel 2D/2D CoNb2O6/g-C3N5 (CoNb2O6/CN) serious of binary nanocomposites heterojunction was fabricated via wet chemical approach. The fabricated material was characterized by the analytical techniques such as crystal phase, morphology, elemental composition, optical properties, and electrochemical studies. From the result confirm the formation of heterojunction interface between CoNb2O6 and CN.  Whereas, the binary nanocomposite shows improved light harvesting ability, effective charge separation, and increases charge transfer. In this study, binary nanocomposites facilitate greater elimination of cefuroxime (CFX) under visible light irradiation when compared to bare CoNb2O6 and CN.  Interestingly, binary nanocomposite CoNb2O6/10 wt.% CN shows excellent photocatalytic activity with degradation efficiency for CFX was 96.4 % within 80 min, due to formation of type-II heterojunction. Investigation of different parameters influence the degradation efficiency was studied using catalyst dosage, initial pollutant concentration and effects of coexisting ions. Furthermore, scavenger experiment and ESR revels that ●OH radical acts as protagonist in the degradation of CFX. Besides, the catalytic recycle implies the degradation efficiency was about 94.5 % after five consequent cycles. Finally, degradation pathway was analysed to identify the intermediate products formed during the degradation of CFX.

Keywords: CoNb2O6/g-C3N5, Photocatalytic degradation, Cefuroxime