Intercalation Effect of Attapulgite in g-C₃N₄ Modified with Fe₃O₄ Quantum Dots to Enhance Photocatalytic Activity for Removing 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole under Visible Light

A novel magnetic intercalation Fe₃O₄-QDs@g-C₃N₄/ATP photocatalyst was first prepared by a combined eutectic method with deposition technology; it shows superior degradation efficiency for removing 2-mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) under visible light. The improved photocatalytic performance is mainly attributed to the intercalation effect of attapulgite (ATP) in g-C₃N₄ together with the quantum effect of Fe₃O₄ quantum dots (QDs) and the better conductivity between ATP and g-C₃N₄ resulting in the enhanced separation efficiency of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in the light absorption range. Moreover, insight into this mechanism indicates that the holes and superoxide radicals are the major active species in the MBT removal procedure. This work provides an efficient and promising approach to construct new high-performance g-C₃N₄-based photocatalytic materials for wastewater treatment.