Constructing a novel mesoporous CsxWO3/C composite aerogel for efficient adsorption/photocatalytic degradation of Oxytetracycline

The excessive use of antibiotics in hospitals, breeding farms and other places has caused serious water contamination with antibiotics. Thus, eliminating antibiotic pollutants from wastewater is of great significance. In this work, the CsxWO3/C composite aerogel was prepared by freeze-drying and high-temperature carbonization method. The microstructure of the composite aerogel and its adsorption/photocatalytic degradation efficiency for antibiotic pollutants in the water were investigated. The results indicate that the as-prepared composite aerogel exhibits excellent antibiotic adsorption/photocatalytic degradation performance owing to the highly porous structure and high conductivity of carbon aerogels, which is conducive to the separation of electrons and holes in CsxWO3. The CsxWO3/C composite aerogel can continue to maintain the adsorption/catalytic degradation reaction in a dark environment after being irradiated with light for a period of time. The research results provide an important reference for the development of novel aerogel-based photocatalytic materials for eliminating the antibiotics in wastewater.