Fabrication of stannous sulfide nanoparticles for photodegradation of thiazine derivative and evaluation of its antibacterial activity

Abstract

The photocatalytic degradation of environmentally harmful chemicals has been extensively explored using a variety of photocatalysts and approaches. However, achieving efficient decomposition and removal of persistent contaminants from the aquatic environment remains a challenging factor. In this study, we report stannous sulfide nanoparticles (SnS2 NPs) prepared by a simple hydrothermal technique and characterized using various analytical methods. The prepared SnS2 NPs were used for the degradation of Methylene Blue (MB) dye under visible light irradiation, which resulted in outstanding degradation compared to other photocatalysts. According to our results, the SnS2 NPs can destroy 98.4% of MB dye (10 ppm) in 60minutes effectively, owing to a narrowed band energy gap and photo-induced carrier separation. Based on the results of free-radical scavenging experiment, we confirmed that hydroxyl radicals (•OH) are the key reactive species, and on this basis elucidated the possible degradation mechanism. Moreover, the SnS2 NPs photocatalyst exhibited good stability in degrading MB even after four recycles. Additionally, we analyzed the antibacterial activity of the prepared SnS2 NPs against pathogenic bacteria. As a result of this research, the proposed photocatalyst shows high potential for environmental remediation of harmful contaminants.