Rod-like BCN decorated Ti3C2 MXene nanosheets for synergistic photocatalytic tetracycline degradation and hydrogen evolution under visible light

Abstract

In this study, a novel Ti3C2 MXene/boron carbon nitride (BCN) heterostructure was developed as a dual-functional photocatalyst for the simultaneous degradation of tetracycline (TC) and hydrogen (H2) evolution under visible light irradiation. The hybridization of rod-like BCN nanostructures with two-dimensional Ti3C2 MXene resulted in enhanced interfacial charge transfer, improved light absorption, and optimized band alignment for redox reactions. Structural and surface analyses confirmed the successful integration of BCN within the MXene framework, while optical measurements revealed suppressed charge recombination and narrower band gap energy. The BCN/MX1 heterostructure exhibited superior photocatalytic performance, achieving up to 85 %, which was superior to that of the individual components. Moreover, the TOC removal of the composite catalyst was found 1.5 times higher than the raw MX. Furthermore, the BCN/MX1 heterostructure achieved 2.1-fold higher hydrogen evolution (948 mu mol g-1h-1) than the raw BCN sample. Radical scavenging and PMS-assisted degradation experiments identified the photogenerated holes as the dominant oxidative species, while MXene functioned as an efficient electron sink through the formation of a Schottky-type junction. In addition, the photocatalyst retained robust activity across a wide range of pH levels and anionic conditions, demonstrating high stability and reusability. This work presents a promising strategy for designing bifunctional photocatalysts through rational interfacial engineering of MXene-based heterojunctions for concurrent environmental remedi-ation and clean energy generation.