Hexagonal SnSe nanoplate supported SnO2-CNTs nanoarchitecture for enhanced photocatalytic degradation under visible light driven

Abstract

It is still challengeable to develop low-cost metal-based photocatalysts with high efficiency and stability for organic pollutant degradation. Herein, we propose a novel “interfacial engineering and suitable band gap matching” strategy to synthesize hexagonal SnSe nanoplate supported SnO2-CNTs for highly efficient photocatalytic activity. The CNTs-SnO2/SnSe, constructed by SnO2 nanoparticles homogeneously embedded in carbon nanotube surface, which is anchored on hexagonally crystalline SnSe nanoplates, is synthesized by a facile low-cost and eco-friendly one-pot solvothermal reaction. Compared to SnO2, SnSe, CNTs-SnO2, SnO2/SnSe, the CNTs-SnO2/SnSe delivers significant performance, enhancement in photocatalytic degradation for aqueous organic dye pollutant under visible light irradiation in 60 min. The k value of CNTs-SnO2/SnSe is over 2.2 times larger than CNTs-SnO2, SnO2 and SnSe. The remarkably enhanced photodegradation performance of CNTs-SnO2/SnSe is mainly attributed to its unique nanoarchitecture, high surface area and band gap matching: the CNTs skeleton can facilitate the electron transfer; band gap diagram of CNTs-SnO2/SnSe is beneficial to efficient electron-hole charge separation and recombination of electron-hole pair can be effectively suppressed. This work presents a rational catalyst design with nanoarchitecture and band gap matching, and a facile one-pot synthesis strategy to synthesize low-cost photocatalysts for dye pollutant degradation with prominent high-efficiency and long-term stability.