2D/2D Ni-MOF/BiOCl S-scheme heterojunction with boosted charge transfer and photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline

Constructing S-scheme heterojunction with boosted charge separation efficiency and high photoredox ability is a promising strategy in photocatalytic wastewater treatment. Herein, we report a novel S-scheme photocatalyst composed of two-dimensional (2D) nanosheets (NSs) of Ni-based metal-organic framework (Ni-MOF) and 2D BiOCl NSs. Such a unique 2D/2D stacking structure affords a large contact area at the interface, which promotes electron transfer and ensures the construction of S-scheme heterojunction between Ni-MOF and BiOCl. Benefitting from the efficient charge transfer and sufficient redox ability, the developed Ni-MOF/BiOCl heterojunctions exhibit enhanced photocatalytic performance for tetracycline (TC) degradation. Especially, the optimum 0.1Ni-MOF/BiOCl catalyst achieves a remarkable TC removal rate constant of 0.00274 min−1, 7.21 folds larger than that of single BiOCl (k = 0.00038 min−1). This study offers an ideal strategy for designing and fabricating novel S-scheme heterojunction photocatalysts with applicability in wastewater treatment