Construction of novel Bi2S3 chitosan QDs-infused oxygen vacancy rich P-doped BiOBr for highly effective photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline.

Nanomaterials with unique structural and electronic features hold great promise for photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. In this study, we developed a novel oxygen vacancy (OV)-rich P-doped BiOBr/Bi₂S₃ chitosan QDs nanocatalyst for the efficient degradation of tetracycline (TC) in water. The catalyst exhibited a nanoflower-like morphology, as confirmed by SEM, with Bi₂S₃-chitosan QDs deposited on P-BiOBr nanosheets, observed by TEM. The material displayed a large surface area (54.162 m2/g), high pore volume (0.097 cc/g), and uniform pore size (14.849 Å), facilitating enhanced pollutant adsorption and degradation. XPS and XRD analyses confirmed the oxidation states and crystalline nature, respectively while PL and EIS revealed suppressed recombination of photogenerated carriers and low charge transfer resistance, respectively. Under simulated sunlight, the catalyst achieved 91 % TC degradation with a rate constant of 0.0097 min-1, outperforming its individual components. The enhanced performance was attributed to the synergistic effect of the p-n heterojunction and defect-mediated charge transfer, determined by ESR analysis. GC-MS analysis identified the degradation intermediates, enabling a plausible reaction pathway. Stability tests showed consistent performance and unchanged crystallinity over six consecutive reuse cycles. This study highlights the design of an OV-rich P-BiOBr/Bi₂S₃ chitosan QDs heterostructure, where defect engineering and heterojunction formation collectively boost photocatalytic degradation of pollutant in water. The material demonstrates excellent efficiency, stability, and reusability, offering a promising eco-friendly strategy for tetracycline removal and sustainable water purification. These results pave a way for manufacturing innovation in near future.