Performance and mechanism of CuO ‐loaded HNbWO 6 heterojunction for photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride

Abstract Tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) is a common contaminant, which has a detrimental impact on the environment and ecological balance; the removal of TCH from wastewater is a crucial environmental concern. In this study, the CuO‐loaded HNbWO 6 nanosheet (CuO@HNbWO 6 ‐NS) was prepared using an exfoliation‐flocculation method. A series of characterizations of the material demonstrated that there was a significant interaction between the loaded CuO and HNbWO 6 nanosheet. The composite photocatalyst was employed in a photocatalytic degradation reaction of TCH, with a degradation efficiency of 74.7% achieved within 2 h. A potential photocatalytic mechanism was proposed based on electrochemical impedance and radical quenching experiments, and the radical contribution in this photodegradation system was in descending order: superoxide radical (·O 2 − ) > photogenerated holes (h + ) > hydroxyl radical (·OH). The results showed that the semiconductor heterojunction architecture can effectively enhance the spatial separation efficiency of electrons and holes, thereby enhancing the semiconductor photocatalytic activity. The findings of this research provide a viable strategy for the treatment and remediation of water pollution.