Hierarchical nanostructures of CdIn2S4via hydrothermal and microwave methods: efficient solar-light-driven photocatalysts

Abstract

We have demonstrated the synthesis of nanostructured CdIn2S4 with a fascinating ‘marigold flower’ morphology using a hydrothermal method, and mixed morphologies (flowers, spheres and pyramids) using a microwave method. In the microwave synthesis, the product was formed within 15 min, whereas by the hydrothermal method more than 24 h was required. In the microwave method, various capping agents were used that result in different particle morphologies. Hydrothermal formation of crystalline CdIn2S4 nanotubes in methanol showed a significant effect of reaction medium on morphology. Synthesis of these crystalline CdIn2S4 nanopyramids and ‘marigold flowers’ has also been demonstrated using microwave synthesis for the first time. An XRD study showed a cubic spinel structure for CdIn2S4 prepared by both methods. The band gap for CdIn2S4 was 2.27 eV when synthesized using the microwave method, and 2.23 eV using the hydrothermal method, implying that the microwave method produces a lower particle size than the hydrothermal method. A noteworthy aspect of this work is that we obtained novel ternary chalcogenide hierarchical nanostructures by simple hydrothermal and microwave methods. Considering that the band gap of the hierarchical CdIn2S4 is within the visible region, we compared its ability to photocatalytically degrade methylene blue (MB) with that of CdS. The marigold flowers, nanoparticle spheres and nanopyramids of CdIn2S4 synthesised by microwave method gave almost 30% enhancement in the degradation of MB as compared to CdS under direct sunlight. This is of importance, considering that CdIn2S4 has potential for applications in solar energy conversion and opto-electronic devices.