Efficient Removal of Inorganic and Organic Pollutants over a NiCo2O4@MOF-801@MIL88A Photocatalyst: The Significance of Ternary Heterojunction Engineering

Energy problems are a substantial concern in a global society that can be solved by replacing with sustainable energies. In recent years, designing nanomaterials as photocatalysts that can produce chemical energy with the utilization of infinite visible light energy became a new solution for water treatment. In the present study, NiCo₂O₄@MOF-801 has been synthesized with multiple properties, and then, a novel three-layer NiCo₂O₄@MOF-801@MIL88A photocatalyst has been successfully synthesized to improve meropenem degradation and Cr(VI) reduction. The prepared photocatalyst was characterized by XRD, IR, XPS, TEM, SEM, TGA, BET, EIS, PL, and UV-vis. According to the structural and optical analysis performed, the interaction between the components formed a heterojunction structure that prevented the recombination of charge carriers and increased the photocatalytic performance. Photocatalytic simulation tests also proved the reduction of chromium and degradation of antibiotics to find the optimal heterogeneous performance. As a result, the NiCo₂O₄@MOF-801@MIL88A composite can completely reduce Cr(VI) in 45 min, which is strongly preferable to any pure component's performance. Overall, this work offers a low-cost but high-efficiency material that can remove organic and inorganic contaminants from water.