Hydrothermal synthesis of different structures TiO₂ and photocatalytic activity for tetracycline and Cr (VI) removal

Abstract Ensuring the removal of pollutants including organic and heavy metal contaminants through cost‐effective methods was crucial for mitigating toxicity risks. In this study, a facile hydrothermal method was employed to synthesize TiO 2 , encompassing flower‐like TiO 2 , TiO 2 nanorods and TiO 2 nanosheets. And the photocatalytic activities were analysed for removing tetracycline (TC) and Cr (VI) in solution. The photocatalytic activity revealed that TiO 2 nanosheets exhibited the highest performance, followed by TiO 2 nanorods, flower‐like TiO 2 , and finally, P25, which hierarchy was attributed to differences in band structure and the enhanced utilization of light. Furthermore, alterations in the TiO 2 structures were found to be effective in promoting the efficient separation of electron–hole pairs and suppressing their recombination. And the generated h + and/or •O 2 − were the predominant reactive species for removal of TC and Cr (VI). Collectively, this work provided a valuable blueprint for enhancing the applicability of TiO 2 in environmental remediation and energy‐related photocatalytic processes.