Facile fabrication of Bi2S3/SnS2 heterojunction photocatalysts with efficient photocatalytic activity under visible light

In this work, Bi2S3/SnS2 heterojunction photocatalysts were prepared by combining a hydrothermal technique and a facile in situ growth method. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UVeVis diffusion reflectance spectroscopy and room-temperature photoluminescence spectra. Their photocatalytic performances were evaluated by degrading methyl orange (MO) in aqueous solution (50 mg/L) under visible light (lambda > 420 nm) irradiation. It was found that when the mass percentage of Bi2S3 in Bi2S3/SnS2 was 7.95 wt%, the as-prepared Bi2S3/SnS2 nanocomposite showed the best photocatalytic activity for the degradation of MO. The highly improved performance of the Bi2S3/SnS2 nanocomposite was mainly ascribed to the efficient charge separation. (C) 2016 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.