Enhanced dye degradation using hydrothermally synthesized nanostructured Sb2S3/rGO under visible light irradiation

Abstract

Semiconductor materials are attractive for photocatalytic dye degradation. However, limitations of operating wavelength and poor photocatalytic activity of existing metal oxides semiconductor have restricted their widespread use. The present work is an attempt to examine the photocatalytic dye degradation behavior of a narrow bandgap (∼1.66 eV) chalcogenide-based antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) semiconductor and Sb2S3/rGO (reduced graphene oxide) based nanocomposite prepared by a facile hydrothermal method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analyses are used to characterize the microstructure, morphology, and specific surface area of the as-prepared Sb2S3 and Sb2S3/rGO. The results from XRD, FESEM confirm the formation of phase pure Sb2S3 with haystack-like structure. TEM images show the formation of well-defined Sb2S3 nanorod crystals anchored onto rGO sheets. The photocatalytic performance of Sb2S3 photocatalyst found excellent with ∼93% Remazol Brilliant Red X-3BS (RBX), and ∼90.5% Rhodamine-B (RDB) dye can be degraded under visible light irradiation for 2.5 h. Moreover, rGO incorporation with Sb2S3 increases the surface area and photocatalytic efficiency further due to higher adsorption of dyes and improved excitation of electrons from valence to conduction band under visible light irradiation.