AgIO₄ nanoparticles decorated on SrTiO₃ microspheres as a novel Z-scheme composite photocatalyst for efficient solar-driven degradation of cefixime

¹ Faculty of Engineering and Green Technology (FEGT), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, 31900 Kampar, Perak, Malaysia
² College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin 541004, China

^* Corresponding author: sinjc@utar.edu.my

Abstract

The presence of antibiotics in water bodies poses severe environmental and health risks, necessitating the development of efficient and sustainable remediation technologies. In this context, photocatalysis emerged as a promising approach, leveraging light energy to degrade organic pollutants. This study introduced a novel Z-scheme SrTiO₃/AgIO₄ composite synthesized via a solvothermal-sonochemical route, which aimed to enhance the photocatalytic degradation of cefixime under simulated sunlight. Characterization techniques such as field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and transient photocurrent response (TPR) were employed to elucidate the physicochemical and optoelectronic properties of the as-synthesized composite. The SrTiO₃/AgIO₄ composite degraded 73.8% cefixime in 120 min, which was remarkably higher compared to its individual components. The enhanced photoactivity was credited to the synergistic interplay of both semiconductors within the Z-scheme heterojunction, which promoted effective charge separation and reduced electron-hole pair recombination.