Photocatalytic Degradation of Sulfamethoxazole by Cd/Er-Doped Bi 2 MoO 6.

Bi₂MoO₆ (BMO) is a typical bismuth-based semiconductor material, and its unique Aurivillius structure provides a broad space for electron delocalization. In this study, a new type of bismuth molybdate Cd/Er-BMO photocatalytic material was prepared by co-doping Er³⁺ and Cd²⁺, and the performance of the photocatalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMZ) was systematically studied. The research results showed that the efficiency of SMZ degradation by Cd/Er-BMO was significantly improved after doping Er³⁺ and Cd²⁺ ions, reflecting the synergistic catalytic effect of Cd²⁺ and Er³⁺ co-doping. Cd/Er-BMO doped with 6% Cd had the highest degradation efficiency (93.89%) of SMZ under visible light irradiation. The material revealed excellent stability and reusability in repeated degradation experiments. In addition, 6% Cd/Er-BMO had a smaller particle size and a larger specific surface area, which is conducive to improving the generation efficiency of its photogenerated electron-hole pairs and reducing the recombination rate, significantly enhancing the photocatalysis of the material. This study not only provides an effective photocatalyst for degrading environmental pollutants such as SMZ, but also provides an important scientific basis and new ideas for the future development of efficient and stable photocatalytic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]