Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline and Antibacterial Performance by S-Scheme Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂ Heterojunction

Abstract

In this work, Bi₂WO₆ nanosheets were grown on the TiO₂ surface via a solvothermal method to construct a Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂ material with S-scheme charge modulation heterojunctional structure. The heterojunctional composites significantly improve the separation and movement of charge carriers produced by increasing photon absorption, broadening the visible light harvesting range, and maintaining the redox potential of charge carriers. We performed a systematic analysis on the crystal structure and morphological characteristics of the material and the interface electronic transfer mechanism as well. The optimal tetracycline (TC) degradation rate of Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂ was 72.2% within 40 min illuminated by a light source of λ>365 nm and at a Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂ molar ratio of 0.1, which was 31.3 times higher than that of TiO₂ and 3.9 times higher than that of Bi₂WO₆. Through the use of liquid chromatograph mass spectrometer (LC-MS) and ecological structure activity relationship (ECOSAR), additional evaluations brought to light: there are two potential ways, in which degradation may occur. In addition, the biological toxicity of the generated intermediate products was checked through ECOSAR analysis. Finally, the S-scheme heterojunction charge transfer mechanism is proposed in detail. We hope that this work will further highlight the way of modulation of the excited charges in Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂ nanocomposite to accelerate photocatalysis.

Keywords

Bi₂WO₆/TiO₂ / Tetracycline / Photocatalytic degradation / S-Scheme heterojunction / Charge carrier

References

[1] Yang X, Guo Z, Xu Y, Li Z, Zhou Y, Yang Z, Zhou Z, Gao Y, Zhang J. Chem. Res. Chinese Universities. 2024, 40536.

[2] Yang Z, Hou T, Ma J, Yuan B, Tian Z, Yang W, Graham N J. Water Res.. 2020, 177115775.

[3] Chen X, Zhu Y, Chen J, Yan S, Xie S. Water Res.. 2023, 243120397.

[4] Gao W, Li G, Wang Q, Zhang L, Wang K, Pang S, Zhang G, Lv L, Liu X, Gao W. Chem. Eng. J.. 2023, 464142694.

[5] Akhter P, Arshad A, Saleem A, Hussain M. Catalysts. 2022, 121331.

[6] Zhang B, Sun B, Liu F, Gao T, Zhou G. Sci. China Mater.. 2024, 67424.

[7] Xiao M, Li D, Wei Y, He Y, Wang Z, Yu R. Chem. Res. Chinese Universities. 2024, 40513.

[8] Xu M, Li Z, Shen R, Zhang X, Zhang Z, Zhang P, Li X. Chin. J. Catal.. 2025, 70431.

[9] Luo C, Long Q, Cheng B, Zhu B, Wang L. Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin.. 2023, 392212026.

[10] Gao R, Shen R, Huang C, Huang K, Liang G, Zhang P, Li X. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed.. 2025, 137e202414229.

[11] Qiao X-Q, Li C, Wang Z, Hou D, Li D-S. Chin. J. Catal.. 2023, 5166.

[12] Wang X-P, Jin Z-L, Li X. Rare Met.. 2023, 421494.

[13] Chen B, Ouyang P, Li Y, Duan Y, Lv K, Carabineiro S A, Dong F. Sci. China Mater.. 2023, 661447.

[14] Qi B, Shen R, Ren Z, Teng Y, Ding H, Zhang X, Zhang Y, Hao L, Li X. J. Mater. Sci. Technol.. 2025, 23265.

[15] Wang Q, Zhu S, Zhao S, Li C, Wang R, Cao D, Liu G. Fuel. 2022, 322124163.

[16] Cheng J, Cheng B, Xu J, Yu J, Cao S. eScience. 2025, 5100354.

[17] Fujishima A, Honda K. Nature. 1972, 23837.

[18] Fu C, Li D, Zhang J, Guo W, Yang H, Zhao B, Chen Z, Fu X, Liang Z, Jiang L. Chem. Res. Chinese Universities. 2023, 39891.

[19] Wang W, Mei S, Jiang H, Wang L, Tang H, Liu Q. Chin. J. Catal.. 2023, 55137.

[20] Li J, Li Y, Wang X, Yang Z, Zhang G. Chin. J. Catal.. 2023, 51145.

[21] Wang Q, Zhao Y, Zhang Z, Liao S, Deng Y, Wang X, Ye Q, Wang K. Ceram. Int.. 2022, 49977

[22] Wang Q, Li H, Yu X, Jia Y, Chang Y, Gao S. Electrochim. Acta. 2019, 330135167.

[23] Ai L, Liu Z, Zhang X, Wang L, Jia D, Guo N, Zha M, Tan C. J. Colloid Interface Sci.. 2025, 692137480.

[24] Collado L, Gomez-Mendoza M, García-Tecedor M, Oropeza F E, Reynal A, Durrant J R, Serrano D P. App. Catal. B: Environ.. 2023, 324122206.

[25] He F, Tang J, Xiao Q, He W, Chen Q, Chang Z, Zhao C, Liu K, Wang H. Sep. Purif. Technol.. 2025, 360130926.

[26] Tai R, Gao S, Tang Y, Ma X, Ding P, Wu R, Li P, Song X, Chen S, Wang Q. Small. 2024, 202310785.

[27] Xie J, Jiang Y, Li S, Xu P, Zheng Q, Fan X, Peng H, Tang Z. Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin.. 2023, 392306037.

[28] Wang X, Li D, Wang W, Kozykan S, Liang Z, Ma Q, Yu X. Microchim Acta. 2024, 191201.

[29] Meng A, Cheng B, Tan H, Fan J, Su C, Yu J. App. Catal. B: Environ.. 2021, 289120039.

[30] Huang K, Liang G, Sun S, Hu H, Peng X, Shen R, Li X. J. Mater. Sci. Technol.. 2024, 19398.

[31] Zhan X, Ding C, Zhao Q, Fang Y. Opt. Mater.. 2024, 155115860.

[32] Huang H, Liu K, Chen K, Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Wang S. J. Phys. Chem. C. 2014, 11814379.

[33] Ma D, Wu J, Gao M, Xin Y, Ma T, Sun Y. Chem. Eng. J.. 2016, 290136.

[34] Zan Z, Li X, Gao X, Huang J, Luo Y, Han L. Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin.. 2023, 392209016

[35] Zhang L, Ghimire P, Phuriragpitikhon J, Jiang B, Gonçalves A A S, Jaroniec M. J. Colloid Interface Sci.. 2017, 51382.

[36] Jian L, Wang G, Liu X, Ma H. eScience. 2024, 4100206.

[37] Wang H, Wang L, Ye S, Song X. Food Hydrocoll.. 2019, 8892.

[38] Gordanshekan A, Arabian S, Solaimany Nazar A R, Farhadian M, Tangestaninejad S. Chem. Eng. J.. 2022, 451139067.

[39] Deng H, Mao Z, Xu H, Zhang L, Zhong Y, Sui X. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf.. 2019, 16835.

[40] Wang Y-Q, Yang C, Gan L-H. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy. 2023, 4819372.

[41] Liu Z, Jin F, Li X, Zhang P, Jin Z. J. Mater. Sci. Technol.. 2024, 188131.

[42] Shaheer A M, Thangavel N, Rajan R, Abraham D A, Vinoth R, Devi K S, Shankar M, Neppolian B. Adv. Powder Technol.. 2021, 324734.

[43] Yu J, Qi L, Jaroniec M. J. Phys. Chem. C. 2010, 11413118.

[44] Liu H, Wu C, Lv K, Tang D, Li Q. J. Mater. Sci. Technol.. 2024, 188144.

[45] Li S., Feng M., Liu X., Zhang C., Liao B., Inorg. Chem. Commun., 2025, 114715.

[46] Zhang J., Lv N., Wu M., Liu L., Fang L., Ma M., Pitcheri R., Lin S., Qi K., Chem. Eng. J., 2025, 169033.

[47] Chen X, Zhou J, Chen Y, Zhou Y, Ding L, Liang H, Li X. Process Saf. Environ. Prot.. 2021, 145364.

[48] Dou K, Peng C, Wang R, Cao H, Yao C, Qiu J, Liu J, Tsidaeva N, Wang W. Chem. Eng. J.. 2023, 455140813.

[49] Raza A H, Farhan S, Yu Z, Wu Y. Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin.. 2024, 402406020.

[50] Dong Y, Ji P, Xu X, Li R, Wang Y, Homewood K P, Xia X, Gao Y, Chen X. J. Mater. Sci. Technol.. 2024, 7e12643

[51] Lu J, Lu Y, Rosaiah P, Lin S, Amir Z, Qi K. Chem. Res. Chinese Universities. 2025, 41799.

[52] Li X, Kang B, Dong F, Zhang Z, Luo X, Han L, Huang J, Feng Z, Chen Z, Xu J, Peng B, Wang Z L. Nano Energ.. 2020, 81105671.

[53] Zou X, Dong Y, Ke J, Ge H, Chen D, Sun H, Cui Y. Chem. Eng. J.. 2020, 400125919.

[54] Waqas M. Chem. Res. Chinese Universities. 2024, 40529.

[55] Lv N., Qi K., Zada A., Lin S., Colloids Surf., A, 2025, 137543.

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Jilin University, The Editorial Department of Chemical Research in Chinese Universities and Springer-Verlag GmbH