La‐doped ZnCr‐layered Double Hydroxide with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity for Tetracycline Hydrochloride Removal

Abstract A series of lanthanum‐doped ZnCr‐layered double hydroxide (La/ZnCr‐LDH) photocatalysts were successfully synthesized by a facial hydrothermal method and their photocatalytic activity for degradation tetracycline hydrochloride (TCH) were evaluated under visible light irradiation. The structure and physicochemical properties of the as‐synthesized photocatalysts were well characterized by X‐ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET), X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), and UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy. The photocatalyst with La doping content of 10 % (molar ratio La 3+ /(La 3+ +Cr 3+ ), La/ZnCr‐LDH‐10) has optimal performance for TCH removal (87.2 %) among all synthesized photocatalysts. Radical trapping experiments and Valence Band‐XPS (VB‐XPS) were used to propose a possible photocatalytic degradation process for TCH by La/ZnCr‐LDH‐10 photocatalyst. This strategy can be used to modify other photocatalysts for efficient removal of organic pollution in the environment.