Facile Synthesis of TiO2/Bi2WO6 Composite for Visible Light-Responsive Photocatalytic Degradation of Norfloxacin in Aqueous Solution

The TiO2/Bi2WO6 composite was successfully synthesized by a simple one-step synthesis. Various analytical techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), UV-vis spectroscopy (UV-vis) were used to determine the characteristics of the synthesized composites. The photocatalytic activity of the synthesized composite was evaluated in the degradation of the Norfloxacin (NOR) antibiotic. Under the optimal conditions, the removal rate of NOR antibiotic with the TiO2/Bi2WO6 composite was more significant than that obtained with single materials. The outstanding photocatalytic activity was ascribed to the synergistic effect between TiO2 and Bi2WO6, which decreased the recombination of e∁Eh+ pairs and enhanced the visible light absorption capacity. The investigations on radical scavengers revealed that •O2∁Eand •OH species were primarily responsible for removing the NOR antibiotic. The potential photocatalytic mechanism was also proposed.