Construction of Bi2Fe4O9/MXene Schottky heterojunction: Synergistic charge transfer for efficient photocatalytic degradation of ciprofloxacin

MXene has become an emerging two-dimensional layered material of significant interest in the field of photocatalysis. Introducing Ti 3 C 2 -MXene at the semiconductor interface has become a promising strategy for enhancing the photocatalytic performance through charge carrier separation. In this study, a Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 /1%Ti 3 C 2 (BFT-1) Schottky heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully synthesized to efficiently remove ciprofloxacin (CIP) from water. Under visible-light irradiation for 50 min, the degradation of CIP by BFT-1 reached 85.7% ( k = 0.032 min −1 ), which was 1.6 times that of the pure Bi 2 Fe 4 O 9 (BFO). The morphological characterization and photoelectrochemical analyses confirmed the successful synthesis of BFT-1. The Schottky heterojunction facilitated electron transfer and inhibited carrier recombination. Meanwhile, the BFT-1/Vis system demonstrated good adaptability to various environmental substrates in water. The BFT-1 photocatalyst also exhibited excellent stability and reusability over multiple cycles, along with minimal metal ion leaching. This research demonstrated the great potential of the BFT-1/Vis system as an efficient solution for the treatment of antibiotic-contaminated wastewater. In this study, BFT-1 photocatalyst was synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal method for the degradation of CIP under visible light. The photocatalyst synthesis process and photocatalytic degradation mechanism are exhibited in the TOC figure. • A novel BFT-1 Schottky heterojunction photocatalyst was successfully constructed via a hydrothermal method. • The Schottky junction effectively promotes electron transfer and inhibits the recombination of charge carriers. • The BFT-1 exhibited excellent stability, reusability, minimal metal leaching. • The BFT-1 has a good adaptability to various water substrates, highlighting its potential for actual water.