In₂S₃/In₂O₃ Nanocomposite In Situ Forming an S-Scheme Heterojunction for the Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline under Visible Light

The overuse of antibiotics has led to severe environmental pollution, thereby making it increasingly important to efficiently degrade them. To address this, a unique S-scheme heterojunction of the In 2 S 3 /In 2 O 3 nanocomposite was successfully constructed using hydrothermal coupled with in situ formation in this work. The optimized In 2 S 3 /In 2 O 3 nanocomposite exhibited a significant photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline (TC), achieving an 83% removal rate within 60 min, with enhancements of 1.78 times for In 2 S 3 and 1.66 times for In 2 O 3 . Characterization, experimental results, and density functional theory (DFT) calculation collectively prove the efficient transfer of photoexcited carriers between In 2 O 3 and In 2 S 3, coupled with the successful construction of the S-scheme heterojunction with a well-arranged band structure. A potential pathway for developing photocatalysts with exceptional antibiotic removal capabilities has been provided by enhancing their reduction and oxidation capabilities of the S-scheme heterojunction through rational structural configuration.