Abstract:
Medicines are crucial for our health, but the discharge of untreated wastewater containing
antibiotics by pharmaceutical industries into reservoirs even at low concentration and their
degraded products can lead to serious issues such as skin cancer, allergies, and other diseases.
Addressing this environmental concern is essential for the well-being of both human and the
planet. Research on two-dimensional materials, driven by their remarkable properties, has led to
the discovery of MXenes. These 2D materials, with their large surface area, tunable electronic
structure, and excellent conductivity, make effective photocatalysts by enhancing light absorption
and charge separation. In this study, silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), known for their antimicrobial
and catalytic properties, were incorporated into MXene sheets to enhance their capabilities for
applications such as antibiotic degradation in water purification. The MXene/Ag NPs composites
were synthesized by a cost effective and simple self-assembly electrostatic method, characterized,
and evaluated, showing superior photocatalytic activity compared to pure MXene. This improved
degradation efficiency is due to reduced charge recombination in the nanocomposites. The
synthesized nanocomposites show strong potential for catalytic applications.
