Solar light responsive 2D/2D BiVO4/SnS2 nanocomposite for photocatalytic elimination of recalcitrant antibiotics and photoelectrocatalytic water splitting with high performance

• In-situ hydrothermal preparation of various mole ratios of BiVO 4 /SnS 2 nanocomposites. • SnS 2 cotton candy deposited on BiVO 4 nano-needles morphology was observed. • Photo (electro) catalytic proficiency of photocatalysts was analyzed under solar light. • Photocatalytic decomposition of antibiotics, oflox (93.7%) and TC (80.8%) was done. • The 13BVSNS photoanode produced ∼ 21µmolcm -2 sec -1 of H 2 at 1.23 V vs RHE. A hydrothermal approach (environmentally safe route) was followed to synthesize eco-friendly, non-toxic, sunlight responsive 2D/2D BiVO 4 /SnS 2 (BVSNS) nanocomposites with varying mole ratios. BVSNS exhibits favorable band gap, high charge carrier mobility, good surface area, lower recombining capability rendering it highly efficient photocatalyst. The superiority of photocatalysts was then tested for the degradation of pharmaceutical pollutants, ofloxacin (oflox) and tetracycline (TC), and PEC water splitting under sunlight illumination. The 1:3 BiVO 4 :SnS 2 (13BVSNS) composite had highest decomposition efficiency of 93.7 and 80.8 % with rate constants of 0.0164 and 0.010 min -1 for oflox and TC-degradation, respectively. The GC-MS analysis was also conducted to examine the intermediates and products formed during the photocatalytic degradation of TC. The PEC water splitting experiments revealed that 13BVSNS photoanode exhibited highest photocurrent density of 0.21 mA/cm 2 at 1.23 V vs RHE. The Mott-Schottky experiments demonstrated flat band potential of - 0.37 V at 1.23 V vs RHE for the 13BVSNS electrode. As a result, ∼21µmol cm -2 sec -1 of H 2 was produced and electrode was stable for 6 h. Reusability studies (7 runs) were used to further examine the photocatalyst's efficacy, and post reaction characterization results justified that the materials are highly stable with a long life.