Synthesis, Characterization, Semiconductor-Assisted Photocatalysis and Antibacterial Activity of Electrochemically Synthesized SnS and NiS/SnS Nano Photocatalysts

Abstract

In present study, SnS and NiS/SnS nano-photocatalysts have been synthesized by simple electrochemical method and their photocatalytic activity and bacterial inactivation were investigated. The size, morphology, chemical composition and optical properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and optical absorption spectroscopy. The XRD analysis confirmed the crystalline SnS phase. The band gap estimated from Tauc’s plot was 2.9 eV for SnS and 2.7 eV for NiS/SnS nanoparticles shows that they are photoactive under UV light radiation. The photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles was studied by degradation of textile dye Indigo carmine under ultraviolet radiation and the photocatalytic decolourization of the dye follows the first order kinetics. The antibacterial susceptibility of SnS and NiS/SnS nanoparticles was evaluated by disc diffusion Kirby-Bauer method using Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.