Persulfate activation of CuS@Ti3C2-based MXene with Bi-active centers toward Orange II removal under visible light

The Ti3C2-based MXene with unique lamellar nanostructure and high conductivity is expected to effectively improve photocatalytic ability of composites as a cocatalyst. Herein, two dimensional Ti3C2-based MXene nanosheets decorated with copper sulfide particles ([email protected]) were synthesized by hydrothermal treatment to boost catalytic persulfate (PS) activation under light, exhibiting remarkable reactivity and stability for the rapid removal of Orange II. The phase composition of [email protected] was detected by X-ray diffraction (XRD), the morphology of [email protected] was characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), and the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) proved the elemental composition and valence state of elements in the [email protected] The dosage of PS and initial pH of solution were the main factors affecting the removal rate of Orange II, and the quenching experiment showed that 1O2 was the primary reactive species for the removal of Orange II in [email protected] -PS system. In addition, this study showed that [email protected] provided bi-active centers for PS activation, which was mainly attributed to the rapid charge transfer between dual electron-rich active centers of Cu and Ti. This system may be applicable to the degradation of other challenging organic pollutants.