Enhancing photocatalytic performance of Cu6Fe2SnS8 by N doping using magnetic grinding method

Abstract

Nitrogen doped quaternary metal sulfide Cu6Fe2SnS8 (CFTS) was prepared by magnetic grinding. The mechanochemical method has the advantage of simple synthesis of non-metallic doped polymetallic sulfides, and there is no solvent involved in the reaction process, which is very environmentally friendly. Non metallic doping can form electron capture centers on semiconductors, suppress the recombination of photo generated electron hole pairs, and extend electron lifetime. Moreover, doping N element into the CFTS lattice will lead to the formation of new energy states, thereby narrowing the energy band gap. The characterizations of XPS and EDS have proven the successful doping of N element into CFTS. In addition, the photocatalytic mechanism and the stability of the N-doped CFTS (N-CFTS) were studied through active substance capture experiments and cyclic experiments. The experimental results indicate that ·O2− is the main active substance in the degradation of MB by N-CFTS. After multiple cyclic experiment, the N-CFTS catalytic material still exhibits good crystal structure and photocatalytic stability. This photocatalytic material has great potential for applications in wastewater treatment and environmental remediation.