Visible-light-driven indium vanadium oxide nanosheets supported bismuth tungsten oxide nanoflakes heterostructure as an efficient photocatalyst for the tetracycline degradation

The development of excellent photocatalysts is of great significance for the efficient photocatalytic degradation process, however, the low carrier separation efficiency and poor light absorption ability typically limit the performance of photocatalysts. Herein, a visible light responsive heterostructure composed with indium vanadium oxide nanosheets supported bismuth tungsten oxide nanoflakes (InVO4/Bi2WO6) was synthetized through in-situ hydrothermal method. Further, the photocatalytic activity was performed for tetracycline (TC) under visible light illumination. The InVO4/Bi2WO6 heterostructure builds a strong interface between InVO4 and Bi2WO6 to hinder reunion of photoinduced charge carriers, and provides the sensitive agents for the removal of TC. In particular, the InVO4/Bi2WO6 photocatalyst prepared by taking 5.0 mg of Bi2WO6 shows the highest degradation of TC about 97.42% in 72 min. The quenching experiments identified that hydroxyl radicals, and holes dominated in the photocatalytic process. Furthermore, the optimized nanocomposite is stable even after four cycles, which exposes the excellent photostability and reusability of the photocatalyst. In addition, a plausible degradation pathway and mechanism of TC over InVO4/Bi2WO6 nanocomposite is also projected. [Display omitted] •An in-situ hydrothermal method to prepare the InVO4/Bi2WO6 nanocomposite.•Structural and morphology studies confirmed the formation of heterostructures.•The nanocomposite degraded 97.42% of TC in 72 min under visible light.•Loading of Bi2WO6 nanoflakes over InVO4 nanosheets improved the catalytic activity.•●OH radicals and holes are playing main role in the removal of tetracycline.