Heterostructural TiO2/Ti3C2Tx (MXene) for photocatalytic degradation of antiepileptic drug carbamazepine

A simple hydrothermal treatment process was used for the fabrication of a Ti3C2Tx (MXene) nanosheet-based hybrid photocatalyst. The chemical composition of the MXene and its derivatives (nanosize {0 0 1} facets of TiO2 in Ti3C2Tx (001-T/MX)), as well as the structural properties and morphology of the as-prepared photocatalyst, were well characterised. The heterostructure of the as-prepared photocatalyst was obtained by controlled oxidation action via the Schottky junction formed between TiO2-MXene interfaces. The adsorption/photocatalytic degradation abilities of the pristine MXene and the as-synthesised 001-T/MX nanocomposite for carbamazepine (CBZ) were investigated. The determined Kapp value of CBZ under ultraviolet light was 0.0304 min−1, higher than that under natural solar light, and the degradation capacity was strongly controlled under acidic conditions (pH 3.0–5.0). During the photocatalytic degradation, OH and O2 attacked the CBZ molecule; detailed degradation pathways were proposed accordingly. The novel heterojunction 001-T/MX exhibited excellent applicability for CBZ decomposition.