Oxygen vacancy modulation of {010}-dominated TiO2 for enhanced photodegradation of Sulfamethoxazole

Oxygen vacancy modulation of metal oxide photocatalysts has triggered an explosion of interest for the unprecedented and superior photoactivities. Herein, the influence of oxygen vacancies on the activity of {010}-faceted TiO2 for photodegradating SMX was evaluated. Experimental studies indicated that the formation of oxygen vacancies was highly dependent with the thermal treatment atmosphere. Vacuum treatment was favorable for the generation of surface hydroxyl groups, which contributed to the interfacial extraction of holes. In contrast, air calcinations benefited the formation of surface defects. The enhanced charge separation resulted in the remarkably improved photoactivity for SMX degradation.