Platinum like cocatalysts tungsten carbide loaded hollow tubular g-C3N4 achieving effective space separation of carriers to degrade antibiotics

Photocatalytic mechanism of P-TCN/WC under visible light irradiation and SEM and TEM images of P-TCN/WC [Display omitted] •The P-TCN/WC was successfully prepared by a simple one-pot calcination process.•The light absorption of P-TCN/WC is extended over the whole visible light region.•The P-TCN/WC achieved effective space separation of charge carriers.•Excellent photocatalytic activity to degrade of antibiotics under visible light. A novel P-doped hollow tubular g-C3N4/tungsten carbide (P-TCN/WC) photocatalyst was newly synthesized by a simple one-pot calcination process and used to degrade two typical antibiotics, tetracycline (TC) and ciprofloxacin (CIP) under visible light irradiation. The P-TCN/WC showed excellent photocatalytic activities toward degradation of antibiotics. The 8% P-TCN/WC showed the best photocatalytic activity, which could degrade 93.76% TC and 76.21% CIP within 120 min. The enhanced photocatalytic activity of P-TCN/WC was due to the expansion of light absorption and the reduction of carrier recombination. P doping and WC loading expanded light absorption of P-TCN/WC over the whole visible light spectrum. Meanwhile, the hollow tubular morphology boosted the utilization of light. Furthermore, the platinum like noble metal cocatalytic properties of WC loading and P doping made the recombination of carriers of P-TCN/WC decreased significantly no matter bulk or space. The intermediates of CIP were measured and the possible degradation pathway was tentatively proposed. The photocatalysts have high stability, superb light absorption, and prominent photocatalytic activity, which could be used as an effective method for antibiotics degradation.