Cavitand-MXene photocatalyst nanocomposite (Ce₂S₃/WO₃@TiVC-CB) on the photodegradation of nevirapine

A cavitand-MXene photocatalyst nanocomposite was fabricated through a self-assembly route. The pristine, S-scheme heterojunction, MXene-based heterojunction, and cavitand-MXene photocatalysts' properties and structures were successfully ascertained by spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Data generated by these techniques revealed that the cavitand-MXene composites exhibited better electrochemical, optical and photocatalytic properties. These were attributed to lower charge transfer resistance, prolonged electron lifetime, and weak photoluminescence intensity. The cavitand-MXene photocatalyst composite (CWTC-5) demonstrated the least charge transfer resistance with 96.50 Ω and a decreased PL intensity compared to pristine and binary photocatalysts, ascribed to the efficient segregation of the electron and hole pairs. The photocatalytic performance of the cavitand-MXene composite (CWTC) on the degradation of nevirapine was superior relative to both pristine, binary, and ternary materials. Degradation pathways of nevirapine were derived from LC-MS/MS analysis, of which six major fragments were deduced, with m/z 74 being the smallest, assigned to C₄H₁₁N. Quenching studies confirmed the role of both hydroxyl and superoxide charge carriers to be responsible for the degradation of nevirapine.