Efficient electron transport between NiO/Fe2O3 by loading amorphous carbon improves photocatalytic degradation property

It is crucial to explore effective methods for removing antibiotics from the water environment. Amorphous carbon was introduced to NiO/Fe2O3 nanocomposites by hydrothermal method to synthesize catalysts to degrade antibiotics. The catalysts were characterized by SEM, TEM, XRD, XPS, BET and UV-Vis-DRS. The photocurrent response and electrochemical impedance experiments show that the addition of carbon materials effectively improves the electron migration and transport efficiency between NiO and Fe2O3 and improves the photocatalytic performance. Tetracycline and ciprofloxacin were used as standard contaminants for photocatalytic testing under visible light irradiation. The removal rate of tetracycline (TC, 40 mg/L) was 94% for 80 min and 96% for ciprofloxacin (CIP, 20 mg/L) after 30 min of visible light. The photocatalytic degradation kinetic rate demonstrates the K value of NiO/Fe2O3/C is almost 9.2 times higher than NiO/Fe2O3 for TC, and almost 79 times higher than those observed for CIP. [Display omitted] •Carbon improves the electron migration and transport between NiO and Fe2O3.•Catalysts have 94% and 96% degradation for TC and CIP under experimental conditions.•Degradation rate is almost 9.2 and 79 times for TC and CIP aftaer adding carbon.