Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of Emerging Contaminants Using TiCT MXene-Supported CdS Quantum Dots.

The synthesis of efficient and stable catalysts for photocatalytic reactions is still a challenge. In this study, a new photocatalyst composed of two-dimensional titanium carbide (TiCT) and CdS quantum dots (QDs) was fabricated, in which CdS QDs were intimately anchored on the TiCT sheet surface. Due to the specific interface characteristics of CdS QDs/TiCT, TiCT can considerably facilitate the generation of photogenerated charge carriers, their separation, and their transfer from CdS. As expected, the obtained CdS QDs/TiCT exhibit outstanding photocatalytic performance for carbamazepine (CBZ) degradation. Moreover, the quenching experiments demonstrated that superoxide radicals (O), HO, O, and OH are the reactive species involved in CBZ degradation, while O made a major contribution. In addition, the sunlight-driven CdS QDs/TiCT photocatalytic system is widely suitable for the elimination of different emerging pollutants in various water matrices, suggesting its potential practical environmental applications.