Construction of 2D/2D nano-structured rGO-BWO photocatalysts for efficient tetracycline degradation

Abstract Stable 2D/2D reduced graphene oxide-bismuth tungstate (rGO-BWO) compounds were synthesized via a facile hydrothermal process. The synthesized rGO-BWO compounds show high photocatalytic activity on aqueous tetracycline degradation, better than that of pure 2D BWO and rGO. rGO not only acts as the acceptor, transporter, and mediator to promote the photogenerated electrons transfer, also plays an important role in the blue shift of Fermi level, leading to the more negative conduction band potential, and benefitting the generation of O 2 − .