Highly active Z-scheme WO3:Yb3+,Er3+/Ag/Ag3VO4/Ag photocatalyst with efficient charge transfer and light utilization for enhanced levofloxacin degradation with synchronous hydrogen evolution

[Display omitted] •Z-scheme WO3:Yb3+,Er3+/Ag/Ag3VO4/Ag sunlight photocatalyst is designed.•Ag particles with SPR effect as electronic channel accelerate electron transfer.•Ag particles with SPR effect as cocatalyst increase surface active sites.•WO3:Yb3+,Er3+ shows excellent light conversion to excite WO3 and Ag.•Levofloxacin is used as sacrifice agent for enhanced photocatalytic H2 production. A novel Z-scheme WO3:Yb3+,Er3+/Ag/Ag3VO4/Ag photocatalyst is prepared via hydrothermal and calcination methods. In this system, WO3:Yb3+,Er3+ is used as an excellent up-conversion luminescent agent and highly active photocatalyst to broaden the light response range. Ag with SPR effect is regarded as electronic channel and cocatalyst to accelerate electron transfer and increase hydrogen production. The photocatalytic performance of Z-scheme WO3:Yb3+,Er3+/Ag/Ag3VO4/Ag photocatalyst is assessed by levofloxacin degradation with synchronous hydrogen production. Some influence factors, sunlight irradiation time, sacrificial agent concentration and catalyst cycle number, are discussed. The emission light spectrum and energy conversion mechanism of WO3:Yb3+,Er3+ are studied. The photocatalyst gives prominent degradation ratio (90.44 %) and hydrogen production amount (489.02 μmol/g) under sunlight irradiation for 180 min. It shows a high stability and reusability in levofloxacin degradation with synchronous hydrogen production within five cycles. The possible mechanism of levofloxacin degradation with synchronous hydrogen production caused by Z-scheme WO3:Yb3+,Er3+/Ag/Ag3VO4/Ag photocatalyst is proposed.