Abstract
In this study, we report a novel composite based on a porous 3D cryogel and Ti3C2Tx Mxene nanosheets, as well as Ag nanoparticles (MXene/Ag/Cryogel), which was obtained by self-assembly and applied to the removal of methylene blue (MB) with synergism of adsorption and photocatalytic degradation. The synergistic effect for the resulting composites with respect to MC removal is associated with the excellent adsorption capacity of the cryogel and the photocatalytic activity of MXene/Ag. The studies performed have shown that MXenes improve not only the adsorption process due to the presence of numerous functional groups, but also the photocatalytic decomposition of SM due to their high electrical conductivity. In addition, the incorporation of Ag NP improves the ability to absorb light that excites the surface electrons of Ag NP through the effect of surface plasmon resonance. In general, the results obtained indicate that the synergistic effect of adsorption-photocatalysis is an effective way to remove organic pollutants.