Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Sulfamethazine by Carboxylic CNT-decorated Bi2O3/Bi2WO6 Heterojunction Catalysts

doi:10.1007/s40242-025-5115-8

Abstract

Abstract: The persistent contamination of aquatic ecosystems by sulfonamide antibiotics, such as sulfamethazine (SMZ), poses critical challenges to environmental sustainability and human health, demanding innovative solutions for efficient pollutant removal. In this paper, we synthesized a carboxylic carbon nanotube (CNT)-decorated Bi₂O₃/Bi₂WO₆ (CNT-BO/BWO) heterojunction using the solvothermal approach, resulting in a remarkable enhancement in photocatalytic performance. The incorporation of CNT-COOH not only increased the specific surface area to 82.99 m²/g and enhanced the adsorption efficiency of sulfamethazine (SMZ) but also improved the carrier separation efficiency through the conductive network. The CNT-BO/BWO catalyst achieved 99% degradation of SMZ within 40 min (with a rate constant of 0.1238 min^-1), demonstrating the effectiveness of the interface engineering and conductivity enhancement strategies. Through systematic mechanism analysis, we elucidated the adsorption-catalysis synergy, where CNTs simultaneously concentrate pollutant molecules and accelerate interfacial electron transfer, establishing a new representative for designing Z-scheme heterojunction systems. This work provides fundamental insights into multifunctional catalyst engineering for addressing emerging contaminants while advancing sustainable water remediation technologies.

Key words: Photocatalyst, Bi₂WO₆, Sulfamethazine, Carbon nanotube (CNT), Heterojunction

SUN Jialiu, REN Yi, DAI Meng, LI Hongsheng, YU Huijun, WANG Sen, HE Zuoli, WANG Shuguang. Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Sulfamethazine by Carboxylic CNT-decorated Bi₂O₃/Bi₂WO₆ Heterojunction Catalysts[J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2026, 42(1): 294-304.

References

[1] Zheng Z. Y., Tian S., Feng Y. X., Zhao S., Li X., Wang S. G., He Z. L., Chinese J. Catal., 2023, 54, 88.
[2] Zhou L., Li Y., Zhang Y., Qiu L., Xing Y., Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin., 2022, 38, 211202.
[3] Zhang Y., Huang J., Lai Y., Chinese J. Catal., 2023, 54, 161.
[4] Liu F., Kang T., Han B., Zhang Q., Yin Y., Cai Y., Chem. Res. Chinese Universities, 2023, 39, 361.
[5] Zhang Z., Zhang L., Huang Z., Xu Y., Zhao Q., Wang H., Shi M., Li X., Jiang K., Wu D., J. Hazard. Mater., 2024, 463, 132879.
[6] Dai M., Yu H., Chen W., Qu K., Zhai D., Liu C., Zhao S., Wang S., He Z., Chem. Eng. J., 2023, 470, 144240.
[7] Zhu S., Liu B., Li S., Zhang L., Rene E. R., Ma W., J. Environ. Manage., 2025, 373, 123484.
[8] Abdelhameed R. M., El-Shahat M., Environ. Nanotechnol. Monit. Manag., 2024, 22, 100987.
[9] Su R., Gao Y., Chen L., Chen Y., Li N., Liu W., Gao B., Li Q., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2024, 121, e2319427121.
[10] Zhang W., Nomura Y., Fukahori S., Kiso T., Myoujin K., Fujiwara T., J. Environ. Manage., 2025, 377, 124621.
[11] Liu W., Fu P., Zhang Y., Xu H., Wang H., Xing M., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2023, 120, e2218813120.
[12] Pan T., Zhou Y., Huang X., Xu J., Guo X., Su J., Li H., Yang X., Environ. Res., 2025, 279, 121823.
[13] Song W., Fang Y., Fang H., Gu D., Du X., Xu S., Fu C., Zhou Y., Wang Z., Environ. Pollut., 2024, 357, 124405.
[14] Elmitwalli T., Fouad M., Mossad M., Samy M., J. Environ. Chem. Eng., 2024, 12, 112101.
[15] Mendonça T. A. P., Nascimento J. P. C., Casagrande G. A., Vieira N. C. S., Gonçalves M., Mater. Chem. Phys., 2024, 318, 129203.
[16] Hong J., Kim H., Chae C., Kim D. H., Lee S. O., Kim I., Biomass Bioenergy, 2025, 200, 107970.
[17] Qu K., Li H., Sun J., Wang S., He Z., Wang S., Mater. Sci. Semicond. Process., 2025, 194, 109541.
[18] Ren C., Bai R., Chen W., Li J., Zhou X., Tian X., Zhao F., Chem. Res. Chinese Universities, 2023, 39, 389.
[19] Xiao L., Zhang J., Lu T., Zhou G., Ren Y., Zheng Z., Yuan X., Wang S., He Z., NPJ Clean Water, 2024, 7, 98.
[20] Fu C., Li D., Zhang J., Guo W., Yang H., Zhao B., Chen Z., Fu X., Liang Z., Jiang L., Chem. Res. Chinese Universities, 2023, 39, 891.
[21] Zhou S., Li P., Zhang C., Wang Y., Dong G., Jia R., Chem. Res. Chinese Universities, 2025, 41, 583.
[22] Nie C., Wang X., Lu P., Zhu Y., Li X., Tang H., J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2024, 169, 182.
[23] Xu X., Liu X., Gan H., Lu D., Jiang X., Yu M., Pan S., Luo J., Sun H., Zhang X., Rare Met., 2025, 44, 1756.
[24] Yu H., Dai M., Zhang J., Chen W., Jin Q., Wang S., He Z., Small, 2023, 19, 2205767.
[25] He Z., Zhang J., Li X., Guan S., Dai M., Wang S., Small, 2020, 16, 2005051.
[26] Chen W., Dai M., Xiang L., Zhao S., Wang S., He Z., J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2024, 171, 185.
[27] El-Muraikhi M. D., Ayesh A. I., Mirzaei A., Surf. Interfaces, 2025, 60, 106003.
[28] Qin Z., Zhu L., Ge X., Li C., Wang X., Liu X., Inorg. Chem. Commun., 2025, 171, 113618.
[29] Wang Y., Zhou G., Xu Y., Cheng Y., Song M., Jin J., Liu X., Lu Z., Chem. Res. Chinese Universities, 2025, 41, 741.
[30] Chakraborty A. K., Hossain M. E., Rhaman M. M., Sobahan K. M. A., J. Environ. Sci., 2014, 26, 458.
[31] Zhou Y., Song Z., Li Y., Liu Q., Xu Z., Hu R., Zhang X., Qiu J., Yang Z., J. Rare Earth., 2016, 34, 1188.
[32] Zhang Q., Cheng Y., Liu W., Che H., Ao Y., Rare Met., 2024, 43, 4333.
[33] Sun Y., Zeng C., Zhang X., Zhang Z., Yang B., Guo S., Rare Met., 2024, 43, 1488.
[34] Ning X., Hao A., Qiu X., Adv. Funct. Mater., 2025, 35, 2413217.
[35] Ning X., Hao A., Cao Y., Chen R., Xie J., Lu Z., Hu J., Jia D., Nano Lett. 2024, 24, 3361.
[36] Cai M., Liu Y., Dong K., Chen X., Li S., Chinese J. Catal., 2023, 52, 239.
[37] Qi S., Zhang Y., Zhang R., Liu X., Xu H., Colloid Interface Sci. Commun., 2021, 44, 100502.
[38] Aranda-Aguirre A., de Oca J. M., Corzo A., Garcia-Segura S., Alarcon H., J. Electroanal. Chem., 2022, 919, 116528.
[39] Zhao Y., Lin C., Zhang L., Meng X., Tang H., Ceram. Int., 2022, 48, 4584.
[40] Liu W., Li X., Qi K., Wang Y., Wen F., Wang J., Appl. Surf. Sci., 2023, 607, 155085.
[41] Xiao L., Zhang S., Cui H., Chang J., Feng Y., Wang S., He Z., Mater. Sci. Semicond. Process., 2024, 177, 108364.
[42] Zheng Q., Cao Y., Huang N., Zhang R., Zhou Y., Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin., 2021, 37, 2009063.
[43] Zhou H., Zhang R., Yue C., Wu X., Yan Q., Wang H., Zhang H., Ma T., Chinese J. Catal., 2024, 59, 169.
[44] Zhang J., Dai M., Zhang S., Dai M., Zhang P., Wang S., He Z., Sol. RRL, 2022, 6, 2200243.
[45] Xu Y., Liu J., Xie M., Jing L., Xu H., She X., Li H., Xie J., Chem. Eng. J., 2019, 357, 487.
[46] Dutta V., Sudhaik A., Sonu, Raizada P., Singh A., Ahamad T., Thakur S., Le Q. V., Nguyen V. H., Singh P., J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2023, 162, 11.
[47] Pan R., Wu J., Qu J., Zhang T., Jiao F., Zhao M., Han M., Li X., Yu Z., J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2024, 179, 40.
[48] Zhao Y., Fan X., Zheng H., Liu E., Fan J., Wang X., J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2024, 170, 200.
[49] Kim M. G., Jo W. K., J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2020, 40, 168.
[50] Liu G., Li S., Lu Y., Zhang J., Feng Z., Li C., J. Alloys Compd., 2016, 689, 787.
[51] Feng Y., Yu H., Lu T., Zheng Z., Tian S., Xiang L., Zhao S., Wang S., He Z., Rare Met., 2024, 43, 5891.
[52] Dai M., He Z., Cao W., Zhang J., Chen W., Jin Q., Que W., Wang S., Sep. Purif. Technol., 2023, 309, 123004.
[53] He Z., Kim C., Jeon T. H., Choi W., Appl. Catal. B: Environ., 2018, 237, 772.
[54] Jin Q., Zheng Z., Feng Y., Tian S., He Z., C: J. Carbon Res., 2023, 9, 99.
[55] Xu Q., He R., Li Y., Acta Phys.-Chim. Sin., 2023, 39, 2211009.
[56] Guo L., You Y., Huang H., Tian N., Ma T., Zhang Y., J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2020, 568, 139.

Efficient Photocatalytic Degradation of Sulfamethazine by Carboxylic CNT-decorated Bi₂O₃/Bi₂WO₆ Heterojunction Catalysts

Knowledge

Abstract

Cite this article

share this article

References

Related Articles 15

Recommended Articles

Metrics

Comments

[1]	LUO Yingqi, YANG Xiaoxiao, SUN Hejia, WANG Ning, LIU Yonghong, LI Yunfeng. Enhanced Photocatalytic Antibiotic Degradation Through BiOBr/TiO₂ Heterojunction Engineering: Synergistic Charge Separation and Band Alignment Effects [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2026, 42(1): 283-293.
[2]	SHANG Wei, CHEN Jiahui, QIAO Jianguo, YANG Xiaohang, WANG Pengpeng, LI Dumin, LI Tianxiang, ZHOU Shiyu, JIA Ruokun. Construction of WO₃/CN Z-Type Heterojunction Containing Oxygen Vacancies to Enhance Formaldehyde Degradation Efficiency and Photocatalytic Performance [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2026, 42(1): 351-361.
[3]	CUI Chenyu, WU Jianjin, YU Xinyang, ZHANG Shouting. New Methodological Research Progress in Uranium Extraction from Seawater [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2025, 41(6): 1557-1571.
[4]	LIU Chuang, GAO Tengyuan, WANG Guohong, CHENG Qiang, WANG Kai. Efficient CO₂ Photoreduction into Solar Fuels over MoO_3-x/COF S-Scheme Photocatalyst [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2025, 41(4): 726-733.
[5]	CHENG Shuilian, FANG Yuxuan, YANG Siyuan, GAO Qiongzhi, CAI Xin ZHANG Shengsen. Synergistic Dual-cocatalyst Modified TiO₂/g-C₃N₄ Heterojunctions for Efficient Photocatalytic Overall Water Splitting [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2025, 41(4): 751-759.
[6]	SUN Banglun, HOU Changan, ZHAO Xiaona, WANG Chuanjiao, WANG Danhong. Ru Nanoparticles on Mo-MOF with a[Mo₈O₂₆(1-Meim)₂]₄- Structure for Visible Light Photocatalytic Nitrogen Fixation [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2025, 41(4): 771-780.
[7]	TANG Liguang, XU Huan, XU Yangrui, CHENG Yu, CHU Yansong, FENG Sheng, LIU Haixia, LIU Xinlin, SONG Minshan, LU Ziyang. Cu Sites Synergistic Double Heterojunction Engineering for Enhancing CO₂ Photoreduction [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2025, 41(4): 812-821.
[8]	GUO Xin, LIU Jiayue, YANG Xueying, JIN Zhiliang, Noritatsu Tsubaki. Construction of ZnCdSe/Triazine-Graphdiyne S-Scheme Heterojunction for Boosting Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2025, 41(4): 893-902.
[9]	JI Houqiang, LIU Yuxin, DU Guangyu, HUANG Tianyu, ZHU Ying, SUN Yangyang, PANG Huan. Synthesis and Utilization of MXene/MOF Hybrid Composite Materials [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2024, 40(6): 943-963.
[10]	LIU Meijing, HAO Xiaoliang, DAI Shujuan, WANG Shaoyan, WANG Yong, ZHANG Hao. Preparation of Fluorescent Carbon Dots from Chinese Herbal Medicine Alisma and Its Potential Applications in Photocatalytic Degradation of Malachite Green and Cell Imaging [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2023, 39(2): 234-239.
[11]	WU Zhifang, LIANG Zhishan, HE Ziqian, WANG Tianqi, XIAO Ren, HAN Fangjie, ZHAO Zhengzheng, HAN Dongfang, HAN Dongxue, NIU Li. A Label-free Photoelectrochemical Sensor Based on Bi₂S₃@Nitrogen Doped Graphene Quantum Dots for Ascorbic Acid Determination [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2022, 38(6): 1387-1393.
[12]	SUN Ruixue, TAN Bien. Covalent Triazine Frameworks(CTFs) for Photocatalytic Applications [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2022, 38(2): 310-324.
[13]	LUAN Xiaoyu, XUE Yurui. Nickel(hydro) oxide/graphdiyne Catalysts for Efficient Oxygen Production Reaction [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2021, 37(6): 1268-1274.
[14]	HU Guilin, HE Jingyi, LI Yongjun. Application of Graphdiyne and Its Analogues in Photocatalysis and Photoelectrochemistry [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2021, 37(6): 1195-1212.
[15]	GUO Xiaofei, QIN Chuanxiang, HUANG Sihui, ZHU Mingyue, WANG Jian-jun, SUN Jun, DAI Lixing. Preparation of Photocatalyst-supported Polyacrylonitrile Micro/Nano Composite Fiber Material and Its Photocatalytic Activity [J]. Chemical Research in Chinese Universities, 2021, 37(3): 419-427.