WO3-x nanorods/rGO/AgBiS2 Z-scheme heterojunction with comprehensive spectrum response and enhanced Fenton and photocatalytic activities.

[Display omitted] • Electron storage in defective R 2 and effective release to H 2 O 2 to generate ROS-enabled night catalysis. • Broad spectrum response and better carrier separation improved the photoactivities. • TC degradation pathways are proposed in light of DFT calculations and LC-MS data. Tetracycline (TC) antibiotics and dyes are the prevalent water contaminants, and their removal from the water through photocatalysis is a plausible approach. However, most semiconductors in their pristine form need to be improved to be exploited in photocatalysis owing to poor photoresponse, intense carrier recombination, and inertness without irradiation. Herein, we demonstrate the modification of defective WO 3-x by rGO and AgBiS 2 in the form of WO 3-x /rGO/AgBiS 2 (R 2). It exploits the superior conductivity and synergism of rGO to inhibit carrier recombination; thereby, Z-scheme heterojunction with AgBiS 2 provides high redox potential. Defects in WO 3-x enable electron (e-) storage in R 2 , which decomposes H 2 O 2 to generate ROS without irradiation. Owing to these essences and broad-spectrum response, it removed 93.72, 82.77, and 84.82% of TC during photo-Fenton (PFR), night-Fenton (NFR), and photocatalytic (PCR) reactions, respectively. Its removal rates reached 94.74, 81.54, and 87.50% against rhodamine B (RhB) during PFR, NFR, and PCR, respectively. It is superior to memory catalysis (MC) and conventional Fenton reactions (CFR) because it can perform without and with irradiation across a broader pH range. So, this work is conducive to designing WO 3-x -based catalysts to combat environmental and energy crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]