Efficient solar light driven photocatalytic degradation of atrazine using poly(p-phenylene oxide)/gC₃N₄/N-TiO₂/Y₁.₉₇SiO₅:Ce₀.₀₃ ribbon shaped polymeric hybrid material

Atrazine, a persistent triazine herbicide, poses significant environmental challenges due to its high chemical stability and resistance to biodegradation. This study reports the design and synthesis of a multifunctional hybrid material composed of poly(p-phenylene oxide) (PPO) integrated with a g-C3N4/N-TiO2 photocatalyst coupled with rare-earth-doped phosphors (Y1.97SiO5:Ce0.03, denoted as gCNTYCe) for the efficient removal of atrazine from water under simulated solar light. The photocatalyst is immobilized together with the phosphors within a PPO ribbon matrix, forming a recyclable adsorption-photocatalytic system. Comparative analysis between amorphous and nanoporous crystalline PPO structures revealed that the nanoporous crystalline framework significantly enhances atrazine pre-concentration near the photocatalytic sites. Photocatalytic experiments demonstrated that, under simulated solar irradiation, the hybrid system achieved nearly complete atrazine degradation within 180 min. The system maintained its performance after five consecutive cycles, confirming its stability and reusability. High-resolution mass spectrometry identified several degradation intermediates, indicating that the photocatalytic process proceeds through sequential hydroxylation, dealkylation, and dechlorination steps leading to triazine ring cleavage. These findings establish a promising approach for coupling sorption and photocatalysis within a single platform, offering a sustainable and reusable solution for water purification.