Photogenerated carrier-accelerated 3D mesh-NH₂ functionalized Zr-metal organic framework/MgAl-type hydrotalcite composites attacking diclofenac

Developing efficient photocatalysts for high-concentration pharmaceutically active compounds (PhACs) removal in aquatic environments holds immense promise. Metal-organic frameworks (MOF) and layered double hydroxides (LDH), with their metal ions and electron transfer properties, emerge as promising candidates for advanced degradation. The three-dimensional UiO-66-NH₂/MgAl-LDH₃ (UNL₃) composites used in this work exhibited excellent thermal stability and reduced crystallinity. Under optimized conditions, the UNL₃/DCF system achieved nearly 100 % DCF degradation in 1 min. Notably, this outstanding photocatalytic activity persisted, maintaining a 90 % DCF removal rate across a pH range of 2–12, even after five cycles. The total organic carbon concentration rapidly halved within 3 min of the initial reaction. Leveraging UNL₃′s benign chemical stability (with ion leaching below 0.4 mg/L) and excellent optical properties, photogenerated charges enhanced charge separation and transport, generating ample reactive species (h⁺) under visible light. This study introduces a novel strategy for designing robust, stable, and environmentally friendly UiO-66-NH₂-based photocatalysts for chlorinated PhAC pollutants removal.