Plasmonic Ti3C2Tx MXene tuned by Tx terminal groups for boosting the visible-light photocatalytic degradation of tetracyclines

Abstract

The local surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of MXene materials plays an increasingly important role in the field of photocatalytic applications. However, it remains a significant challenge to strengthen LSPR through the modulation of surface functional groups. Herein, four Ti₃C₂T_x MXene samples with different dominant surface groups are prepared. Among them, the obtained Ti₃C₂F exhibits higher photocatalytic performance, achieving a 72.1% degradation rate of tetracycline within 90 min under visible-light irradiation. Moreover, the degradation rate decreases by only 7.9% after four cycles of the photocatalytic process. The improved photocatalytic activity and stability mainly result from the faster charge separation/migration and the stronger LSPR effect of Ti₃C₂F compared to the other Ti₃C₂-MXene materials. These results directly provide a strategy for enhancing the electric field dynamics of MXene materials through the regulation of surface functional groups, thereby improving their photocatalytic performance.