WS(2)-intercalated Ti(3)C(2)T(x) MXene/TiO(2)-stacked hybrid structure as an excellent sonophotocatalyst for tetracycline degradation and nitrogen fixation

Designing a heterostructure nanoscale catalytic site to facilitate N(2) adsorption and photogenerated electron transfer would maximize the potential for photocatalytic activity and N(2) reduction reactions. Herein, we have explored the interfacial TiO(2) nanograins between the Ti(3)C(2)T(x) MXene-WS(2) heterostructure and addressed the beneficial active sites to expand the effective charge transfer rate and promote sonophotocatalytic N(2) fixation. Benefiting from the interfacial contact and dual heterostructure interface maximizes the photogenerated carrier separation between WS(2) and MXene/TiO(2). The sonophotocatalytic activity of the MXene@TiO(2)/WS(2) hybrid, which was assessed by examining the photoreduction of N(2) with ultrasonic irradiation, was much higher than that of either sonocatalytic and photocatalytic activity because of the synergistic sonocatalytic effect under photoirradiation. The Schottky junction between the MXene and TiO(2) on the hybrid MXene/TiO(2)-WS(2) heterostructure resulted in the sonophotocatalytic performance through effective charge transfer, which is 1.47 and 1.24 times greater than MXene-WS(2) for nitrogen fixation and pollutant degradation, respectively. Under the sonophotocatalytic process, the MXene/TiO(2)-WS(2) heterostructure exhibits a decomposition efficiency of 98.9 % over tetracycline in 90 min, which is 5.46, 1.73, and 1.10 times greater than those of sonolysis, sonocatalysis, and photocatalysis, respectively. The production rate of NH(3) on MXene/TiO(2)-WS(2) reached 526 μmol g(−1) h(−1), which is 3.17, 3.61, and 1.47 times higher than that of MXene, WS(2), and MXene-WS(2), respectively. The hybridized structure of MXene-WS(2) with interfacial surface oxidized TiO(2) nanograins minimizes the band potential and improves photocarrier use efficiency, contributing directly to the remarkable catalytic performance towards N(2) photo fixation under visible irradiation under ultrasonic irradiation. This report provides the strategic outcome for the mass carrier transfer rate and reveals a high conversion efficiency in the hybridized heterostructure.