Cotton-derived 3D carbon fiber aerogel to in situ support Bi2O3 nanoparticles as a separation-free photocatalyst for antibiotic removal

Because of abundant oxygen-based groups, natural cotton is adopted as the precursor to in situ fabricate a three-dimensional (3D) Bi2O3-supported carbon fiber aerogel (Bi2O3/CF). The calcination temperature plays an important role in the crystal composition of Bi species and the specific surface area of the aerogel. When the calcination temperature is 800 °C, the Bi2O3/CF product exhibits the highest tetracycline (TC) removal efficiency, including large adsorbability and superior photocatalytic activity. Furthermore, its 3D porous network architecture provides a multidimensional open framework for the free mobility of solution and rapid diffusion of reactants and products. In the flowing system, the 3D Bi2O3/CF aerogel can implement the continuous and stable elimination of pollutants for a long time, and it does not require any separation operation. Consequently, the 3D Bi2O3/CF aerogel is expected as a promising functional material to massively remove organic pollutants from industrial wastewater.