Designing of Z‐Scheme MgFe2O4/Fe2O3 Coupled CoCr2O4 Heterojunction with High Photocatalytic Activity for the Removal of Tetracycline Hydrochloride in Wastewater

Abstract

AbstractA simple solution combustion method is used to synthesize spinel type MgFe2O4 (MFO) and CoCr2O4 (CCO) oxides, which are combined with the mechanical mixing method to construct a Z‐scheme MFO/wt%CCO heterojunction, which effectively degraded tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) under simulated sunlight irradiation. Various characterization techniques are used to confirm the phase structure, composition, near‐spherical morphology, ferromagnetic behavior, optical properties, and photocatalytic activity of Z‐scheme MFO/wt%CCO heterojunction. A variety of environmental experimental parameters confirmed that when the optimal initial TC concentration is 50 mg L−1, the catalyst content is 1 g L−1, and pH 13, the degradation percentage of TC by the MFO/75%CCO composites reached 89%. Active species verification experiments showed that the hole (h+), hydroxyl radical (•OH), and superoxide radical (•O2 −) are the main active species in photocatalytic reactions. Based on mass spectrometry, toxicity analysis, and energy band theory, the degradation pathway, toxicity, and photocatalytic mechanism of MFO/75%CCO composites for the degradation of TC are discussed in detail.