Ammonia　holds　paramount　importance　in　the　field　of　agriculture,　textiles,　chemicals,　dyes,　insecticides　and　explosives.　Owing　to　its　higher　density　and　stability,　hydrogen　(H2)　can　be　transported　as　ammonia　(NH3),　an　efficient　and　clean　energy　carrier.　However,　the　negative　impact　of　the　traditional　method　of　NH3　production　demands　a　greener　approach　to　generating　NH3.　Therefore,　a　photocatalyst　TiO2/ZrO2　(TZ)　with　crumbled　sheet-like　structure　was　synthesized　hydrothermally　with　a　high　specific　surface　area　to　photofix　atmospheric　nitrogen　(N2)　to　NH3.　The　synthesized　material　exhibited　excellent　photocatalytic　activities　in　the　photofixation　of　N2　to　NH3　and　the　photodegradation　of　tetracycline　(TC).　Under　simulated　solar　irradiation,　the　TZ　photocatalyst　demonstrated　a　photocatalytic　N2　reduction　rate　of　516.67　µmol　h−1　g−1　and　a　TC　degrading　efficiency　of　87.63　%,　which　is　approximately　twice　as　high　as　that　of　ZrO2.　The　introduction　of　TiO2　to　ZrO2　altered　the　morphology　with　increased　specific　surface　area,　significantly　improving　the　photocatalytic　performance.　The　large　surface　area　and　abundance　of　oxygen　vacancies　in　TZ　resulted　in　more　active　sites　for　photocatalysis　and　improved　the　charge　separation.　In　order　to　elucidate　the　superior　activity　of　the　photocatalyst,　the　photocatalysts　were　examined　using　microscopic　and　spectroscopic　methods.　This　work　may　provide　some　understanding　of　the　design　and　development　of　efficient　semiconductor　photocatalysts,　which　also　have　enormous　potential　for　N2　fixation　and　additional　photocatalytic　applications.　©　2025　Elsevier　Ltd