Synthesis of CdS nanomaterials and their photocatalytic activity under visible light

Abstract

CdS nanomaterial was hydrothermally synthesized at 160 oC for 6 hours from a dispersed mixture of Cd(NO3)2.4H2O and CH3CSNH2 in 50 mL ethylenediamine and denoted as Cw-m, where w-m is the weight ratio of Cd(NO3)2.4H2O/CH3CSNH2 and equals to 1-2, 1-1 and 3-2. The obtained materials were characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Infrared spectra (IR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Ultraviolet–Visible Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy (UV-Vis-DRS). The UV-vis DRS showed that the CdS materials possess bandgap of around 2.24 eV. The photocatalytic activity of the CdS was assessed by degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light. The experiments indicated that CdS semiconductor materials can be active under visible light. The MB degradation over the CdS was mainly attributed to the photoreduction process induced by the superoxide radical anions (O2• -) and hydroxyl radicals (•OH).