Exploring the in‐situ Development of A 1 D/2 D Gadolinium Iron Oxide/Tungsten Disulfide Photocatalyst to Improve Tetracycline Degradation Mediated by Visible Light

Abstract In the field of photocatalysis, heterojunction photocatalysts have garnered a lot of attention due to their high‐efficiency interfacial charge‐transfer property and their nanoarchitecture. Herein, GdFeO₃/WS₂ is successfully synthesized by the in‐situ growth method and holds significant catalytic properties and efficient degradation for tetracycline. Using WS₂ as a co‐catalyst could reduce e^‐ and h⁺ recombination, improving GdFeO₃’s photocatalytic performance. The GdFeO₃/WS₂ possesses a bandgap of 1.9 eV, 178.9 m₂ g⁻¹ specific surface area, 0.2 nm pore size, and a lifespan of 6 ns. The optimal GdFeO₃/WS₂ photocatalyst exhibits a maximum removal of 96.2 % at a tetracycline concentration of 10 mg/L, a pH of 3, and 40 mg of photocatalyst in an irradiation time of 90 min. Tetracycline has a higher photocatalytic efficiency in visible light (96.2 %) than in sunlight (72.6 %). Trapping tests revealed that the major reactive species for tetracycline removal in an aqueous solution are ⋅⋅OH, and ⋅⋅O₂^‐. The recycle experiment shows no deactivation of the GdFeO₃/WS₂ photocatalyst after 5 recycles. This study sheds light on the rational design of the GdFeO₃/WS₂ photocatalyst as a potential material for treating wastewater.