A magnetically reusable Ce-MOF/GO/Fe3O4 composite for effective photocatalytic degradation of chlortetracycline

Abstract

Herein, we report a novel 1/GO/Fe₃O₄ photocatalyst, comprising Ce(BTB)(H₂O) (MOF-1, H₃BTB = 1,3,5-benzenetrisbenzoic acid), graphene oxide (GO), and iron oxide (Fe₃O₄) for photocatalytic degradation of chlortetracycline (CTC). This design enables the effective transfer of electrons from the MOF to GO, thereby reducing the photoelectron–hole recombination rate. Therefore, the optimized 1/GO/Fe₃O₄ photocatalyst with H₂O₂ shows the highest photocatalytic activity toward CTC. The kinetic constant is 5.4 times that in the system of MOF-1 and hydrogen peroxide, which usually acted as efficient electron acceptors to improve the photocatalytic performance of MOFs. More importantly, light absorption is extended from the ultraviolet to the visible region. Furthermore, 1/GO/Fe₃O₄ can be quickly recycled under an applied magnetic field and displays outstanding stability and reusability. According to the radical trapping experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance results, hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, and holes all contribute to excellent photocatalytic activity. The possible catalytic mechanism of 1/GO/Fe₃O₄ is tentatively proposed. This work aims to explore the synergistic effect between metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and GO, and provide a theoretical basis for MOF-based composites to remove antibiotic contaminants in the environment.