Constructing bifunctional interfacial electric field triggered NiCo2S4 loaded 3D nanoflower CuFe LDH as self-cascade nanoreactor photo-Fenton system to efficiently degrade ciprofloxacin

A catalytic heterostructure driven by nanocatalyst (NCs) induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been proposed as a potential tool for cleaning and degrading pharmaceutical pollutants from contaminated water. The study used a facile reflux-assisted method for the synthesis of NiCo 2 S 4 -CuFe LDH NCs (NCS@CF). The CuFe LDH 3D nanoflowers were successfully deposited onto NiCo 2 S 4 , and verified using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) image analysis. The electronic and optical properties of NCS@CF NCs for ciprofloxacin (CIP) degradation were validated through x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence (PL), electron impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV- DRS). The NCS@CF NCs exhibits type IV isotherm with microporous nature with an average pore radius of 1.5 nm. The Mott-Schottky plot determines the n-type semiconducting nature of the materials with conduction band potential of -0.33 and -0.54 V for NiCo 2 S 4 and CuFe LDH , respectively. An interfacial electric field (IEF) was created after NCS@CF NCs formation. It followed Z scheme-type charge migration after light irradiation , facilitating dynamic electron transfer and limiting the charge recombination rate. The degradation of CIP was 97.15 % with a rate constant of 0.026 min -1, which was 8.6, 4.12 and 15 times greater than NiCo 2 S 4 with H 2 O 2 , CuFe LDH with H 2 O 2 and NCS@CF NCs without H 2 O 2 , respectively. It is attributed to the synergistic interaction of NCS@CF NCs and H 2 O 2 in free radical generation for oxidizing the pollutant. The scavenging test identified the involvement of superoxide (O 2 • - ) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) as dominant species in the catalytic process. This design strategy opens new avenues for developing highly effective photocatalysts and setting the stage for future advancements in the promising environmental remediation field. This study paves a way for manufacturing innovation in near future.