2D ZnIn 2 S 4 -Intercalated ZnTi-LDH to Construct a 2D/2D Type-II Heterojunction for Boosting Photocatalytic Activities and Antiphotocorrosion

Exploration of high-performance photocatalysts is crucial for photocatalytic antibiotic degradation. Herein, the 2D ZnTi layered double hydroxide intercalated with 2D ZnIn₂S₄ nanosheets (denoted as ZnTi-ZIS-ZnTi) is synthesized by utilizing the ion exchange and intercalation strategies. Experimental results demonstrate that the 2D/2D ZnTi-ZIS-ZnTi heterostructure exhibits excellent photocatalytic degradation activity for tetracycline, achieving a degradation rate of 94.68% within 60 min of visible light irradiation, as well as unexpected recyclability after eight consecutive cycles under different water quality conditions. Mechanism investigation demonstrates that two main active species (h⁺ and ¹O₂) are involved in TC degradation. The outstanding photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the formation of Type-II heterojunction with intimate contact, which is achieved through the intercalation strategy. Specifically, the intercalation strategy results in a multilamellar hierarchical morphology, enhances the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers, promotes electron transport, and provides plenty of active sites for the photocatalytic process. This work identifies a promising photocatalyst system for water purification.