Reduced graphene oxide/Bi4O5Br2 nanocomposite with synergetic effects on improving adsorption and photocatalytic activity for the degradation of antibiotics.

A photocatalyst based on the integration of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) with Bi4O5Br2 nanosheets was facilely prepared and was confirmed by transmission electron microscope, scanning electron microscope, X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The integration of rGO can effectively improve the adsorption and the photocatalytic properties of Bi4O5Br2 nanosheets towards the target antibiotics under visible light irradiation. rGO/Bi4O5Br2 nanocomposite containing 1.0 wt% of rGO exhibits the optimal adsorption and photocatalytic activity towards ciprofloxacin (CIP), norfloxacin (NOR) and tetracycline (TC). The removal efficiencies of CIP, NOR and TC are 97.6%, 80.7% and 98.7%, which are higher than that obtained with Bi4O5Br2 nanosheets. The capture experiments and ESR data show that ·O2-, OH· and h+ are the main active species that participated in the photodegradation system. This work provides a simple strategy to integrate rGO with BixOyXz (X = Cl, Br, I) nanosheets to construct effective photocatalysts for the degradation of antibiotics.