Lanthanide-doped upconversion glass–ceramic photocatalyst fabricated from fluorine-containing waste for the degradation of organic pollutants.

A near-infrared (NIR) glass–ceramic (GC) photocatalyst was synthesized via in-situ etching fluorine-containing waste introduced upconversion GC with HCl, which possesses stable structure, regenerative and efficient photocatalytic activity under NIR light irradiation. [Display omitted] • A NIR GC photocatalyst is synthesized from fluorine-containing waste via in-situ etching of upconverted glass-ceramics. • The photocatalytic activity of photocatalyst is higher than most photocatalysts (including commercial P25 and BiOCl). • The photocatalyst characteristic by stable structure, regenerative, can be prepared on a large scale, and low cost. • The upconversion emission performance is not weakened with HCl etching. Fluorine-containing waste is one kind of hazardous waste characteristic by hard disposal and utilization, it is an attractive way to prepare for fluoride-based luminescent matrix. In this work, to realize the high value-added utilization of fluorine-containing waste and reduce cost of the raw materials for preparation near-infrared (NIR) glass–ceramic (GC) photocatalyst, the pure fluoride of luminescent matrix was replaced by introducing fluorine-containing waste. The waste contained NIR GC photocatalyst was synthesis by the method of facile in-situ etching of an upconversion GC with HCl, which possesses core–shell structure, where the GC micro-powder including optically active centers lanthanides doped CaF 2 nanocrystals are displayed as the core, and the BiOCl is as the superficial coating. The upconversion emission performance of CaF 2 based luminescent matrix in photocatalyst is not weakened with HCl etching. NIR GC photocatalyst has high methyl orange and enrofloxacin degradation rate of 86 % and 82 % over 180 min after NIR light irradiation, respectively. The UV–Vis–NIR photocatalytic activity was enhanced degradation rate (93 % in 15 min) of enrofloxacin compared with those of commercial P25 and BiOCl. In addition, the photocatalyst had stable photocatalytic activity and it also can be regenerated. The study provided references for high value-added utilization fluorine-containing waste. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]