Controllable preparation of red phosphorus nanoribbons for enhanced photocatalytic degradation of Methyl Orange and Tetracycline

Nanoribbons (NRs), leveraging the flexibility of one-dimensional materials and the expansive surface area of two-dimensional materials, offer heightened exposure to edge sites and superior charge transfer rates. Consequently, they present promising prospects within the domain of photocatalysis. Crystalline red phosphorus (cRP), dcharacterized by its layered and fibrous structure, lends itself readily to the production of nanoribbons. Our study demonstrates a robust method for achieving high-yield, high-quality cRP by concurrently introducing mineralizing agent I₂ and Si wafers into the Chemical Vapor Transport (CVT) synthesis process. Through ultrasound assistance, we transformed high-quality cRP into crystalline red phosphorus nanoribbons (cRP NRs) with an average thickness ranging from 7.5 to 17.5 nm and an average width between 75 and 175 nm. cRP NRs (I₂ and Si) showcased impressive degradation capabilities towards Methyl Orange (MO) and Tetracycline (TC), achieving a remarkable 99% degradation of MO within 18 min under the simulated visible-light irradiation. The reactive species capturing experiments confirmed that ·O₂⁻ was the primary active agent responsible for the photocatalytic degradation of MO.