A novel SnIn4S8/ZnFe2O4 S-scheme heterojunction with excellent magnetic properties and photocatalytic degradation activity for tetracycline

The development of efficient and economical photocatalysts is considered a promising strategy for pollution remediation. Magnetically separable SnIn4S8/ZnFe2O4 composites (SIS/ZFO) were prepared by combining SIS with ZFO. The composite with a 30% ZFO mass ratio (SIS/ZFO-30) was the most effective and achieved 60% removal of tetracycline (TC) in 120 min. It has a rate constant of 7.94 × 10−3 min−1, which is 6.3 and 27.2 times higher than those of pure SIS and pure ZFO, respectively. The improved photocatalytic performance can be attributed to the formation of S-scheme heterojunctions between SIS and ZFO, which results in the strong absorption of visible light, the enhanced separation of electron–hole pairs, and the higher redox ability of photoinduced charges. Additionally, SIS/ZFO composites have excellent magnetic properties and high stability, and the recovered samples still retained good photocatalytic degradation performances after four cycles of experiments. Thus, the coupling of SIS with ZFO provides a valuable strategy for enhancing photocatalytic potential and offers a promising pathway for water remediation.