Enhancing the Photocatalytic Performance of Antibiotics Using a Z-Scheme Heterojunction of 0D ZnIn(2)S(4) Quantum Dots and 3D Hierarchical Inverse Opal TiO(2)

Limited light absorption and rapid photo-generated carriers’ recombination pose significant challenges to the practical applications of photocatalysts. In this study, we employed an efficient approach by combining the slow-photon effect with Z-scheme charge transfer to enhance the photo-degradation performance of antibiotics. Specifically, we incorporated 0D ZnIn(2)S(4) quantum dots (QDs) into a 3D hierarchical inverse opal (IO) TiO(2) structure through a facile one-step process. This combination enhanced the visible light absorption and provided abundant active surfaces for efficient photo-degradation. Moreover, the ZnIn(2)S(4) QDs formed an artificial Z-scheme system with IO-TiO(2), facilitating the separation and migration of charge carriers. To achieve a better band alignment with IO-TiO(2), we doped Ag into the ZnIn(2)S(4) QDs (Ag: ZIS QDs) to adjust their energy levels. Through an investigation of the different Ag contents in the ZnIn(2)S(4) QDs, we found that the optimal photo-degradation performance was achieved with Ag (2.0): ZIS QDs/IO-TiO(2), exhibiting degradation rates 19.5 and 14.8 times higher than those of ZnIn(2)S(4) QDs and IO-TiO(2), respectively. This study provides significant insights for elevating the photocatalytic capabilities of IO-TiO(2) and broadening its prospective applications.