Enhanced Photogenerated Hole Oxidation Capability of Li2SnO3 by Sb Incorporation in Photocatalysis Through Band Structure Modification

Modulating the band edge position of a photocatalyst is important in photocatalysis. In this study, a more positive valence band position was realized by doping Sb in Li 2 SnO 3 . The downshifted valence band position was mainly attributed to the relatively low Sb energy level resulting from its higher electronegativity. Such band structure modification resulted in a stronger photo-oxidative capability for photogenerated holes (h + ), leading to an enhanced photodegradation rate toward tetracycline (TC) solution. For Li 2 Sn 0.9 Sb 0.1 O 3 , the efficiency reached 74% within 30 min, which was approximately 2.5 times that of Li 2 SnO 3 . Radical trapping experiments showed that h + played the dominant role in the photodegradation process. Finally, the photodegradation pathway was analyzed using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS). These results might provide important insight for designing photocatalysts with high efficiency through band structure modification. Graphical Abstract