Enhancement the Photo-Quantum Efficiency in Photocatalytic Reactions via Well-Designed Rutile/Anatase TiO2 Growth on 2D Ti3C2Tx

With the increasing problems caused by water pollution, the use of photocatalytic oxidation to remove pollutants from wastewater is a sustainable strategy. However, it is challenging to develop well-designed photocatalysts with high photo-quantum efficiency and the comprehension of their photocatalytic reaction mechanisms. Herein, a R/A-TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x (R: rutile; A: anatase) photocatalyst with different ratios of rutile and anatase phases was prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. The results showed that the number of rutile and anatase phases could be readily regulated by adjusting the dosage of titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) and Ti 3 C 2 T x . The prepared R/A-TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x -0.2 contained a mass fraction of 42% rutile phase and 58% anatase phase, with the interface between the two phases exhibited a tightly bonded structure. Meanwhile, the heterojunction between the heterophase TiO 2 and Ti 3 C 2 T x interfaces improved the photo-quantum efficiency of R/A-TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x , and the degradation efficiency of Rhodamine B (RhB) by R/A-TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x -0.2 was 77.82% in 2 h under ultraviolet light illumination. Ultimately, the active species capture experiments verified that the primary active species in the photocatalytic reaction was h + , ·OH, and·O 2 − . This work could shed light on the new approach to the rational design of high-efficiency heterophase TiO 2 -based photocatalysts. Graphical R/A-TiO 2 /Ti 3 C 2 T x photocatalysts with heterojunctions were controllably synthesized by an EDTA-2Na-assisted hydrothermal method.