Fabrication of Anderson-Polyoxometalates/TiO2/C3N4 heterojunction composite for efficient visible-light-driven photooxidative desulfurization

•A novel strategy to achieve a high DBT removal with CuMo6/TCN heterojunction catalyst was proposed.•The enhanced light absorbing ability and compatible energy level contributed to the efficient desulfurization activity.•The PODS system obtained 98.3% DBT removal using only 20 mg catalyst with H2O2 as oxidant in 3 h at 30 °C.•The excellent PODS activity can be attributed to the heterojunction structures, enhanced light absorbing ability and better separation of photoinduced charge carriers. An effective heterogeneous nanocatalyst (NH4)4CuMo6O24/TiO2/g-C3N4 (abbr. CuMo6/TCN) was prepared by immobilization of (NH4)4CuMo6O24 on TiO2/g-C3N4. The obtained catalysts were characterized by UV–vis diffuse reflection spectra (UV–vis), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and etc. Catalytic performance was investigated for the photooxidative desulfurization (PODS) with H2O2 under visible light. Influencing factors on the ability of optimal photocatalytic oxidation capacity of sulfides were studied to explore the optimum condition. The catalyst exhibits very high catalytic activity and 98.3% desulfurization of DBT using only 20 mg catalyst with H2O2 as oxidant in 3 h at 30 °C. In addition, the presence of aromatics interference and the cycling ability of the catalyst experiments were explored, which proves the catalyst has a good anti-interference ability and stability. In addition, CuMo6/TCN PODS system mechanism were elucidated through the experimental characterizations and quenching experimental results. [Display omitted]