Fabrication of FeVO4/Fe2TiO5 composite catalyst and photocatalytic removal of norfloxacin

• FeVO4/Fe2TiO5 heterojunction composite was firstly designed and successfully prepared via one pot hydrothermal method.
• FeVO4/Fe2TiO5 photocatalytic removal norfloxacin was first reported.
• FeVO4/Fe2TiO5 exhibited high photocatalytic activity and excellent stability.

A new type of FeVO4/Fe2TiO5 composite heterogeneous catalysts was firstly designed and successfully synthesized via a one pot hydrothermal method. The new as-prepared FeVO4/Fe2TiO5 exhibited high photocatalytic activity and excellent stability while being used for norfloxacin (NFX) removal from aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. The high photocatalytic activity may attribute to synergistic effect photogenerated electron–hole with OH and h+. In the complex photocatalytic degradation process, the piperazine ring within norfloxacin was firstly attacked and ruptured. As the properties of abundant raw material and facile prepared method, FeVO4/Fe2TiO5 composite could be met with a great practical application prospect. Meanwhile, this study could offer a new insight into the design and synthesis of other new and high activity composite structure photocatalysts.