Improved photoelectric performance via fabricated heterojunction g-C₃N₄/TiO₂/HNTs loaded photocatalysts for photodegradation of ciprofloxacin

An Intercalated heterostructural g-C₃N₄/TiO₂/HNTs supported photocatalyst was successfully prepared via sol–gel and calcination methods. The introduction of HNTs and the g-C₃N₄-TiO₂ heterojunction effectively enhanced the charge transfer and separation efficiency of photogenerated electron–hole pairs, which endued the g-C₃N₄/TiO₂/HNTs hybrid material with an outstanding photoelectric performance and good stability. And an obviously enhanced photocatalytic activity was exhibited by photodegrading ciprofloxacin compared with pure TiO₂. Furthermore, the main active species were detected through trapping experiment and ESR spin-trap technique with DMPO, which confirmed that the [rad]O₂ ⁻ and the h⁺ were the main active species in the photocatalytic system.