Perylene nanoparticle-sensitized MoS2: an efficient solar photocatalyst for the degradation of pollutants

Abstract

The usage of visible light active semiconductor photocatalysts for the deterioration of persistent organic pollutants is a hopeful practice, which has captivated substantial consideration. In this work, perylene nanoparticle-incorporated MoS₂ nano photocatalysts (PeNPs-MoS₂) were synthesized and utilized for the degradation of methylene blue (MB), rhodamine B (RhB) and crystal violet (CV) dyes under sunlight. Perylene nanoparticles were prepared using a chemical reduction method involving perylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic dianhydride (PTCDA) as the precursor and sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) as the reducing agent. An upsurge in the photocatalytic degradation of dyes (MB, RhB, and CV) in aqueous solution under solar irradiation was detected for PeNPs-MoS₂, when compared with that of pure MoS₂. The improved separation between photo-induced charge carriers was evident from the photoluminescence studies for PeNPs-MoS₂ photocatalysts. Radical trapping experiments identified superoxide radical (˙O₂⁻) as the most dominant active species involved in the photodegradation process. This work validates that perylene nanoparticles sensitized nano MoS₂ could be a promising candidate for the degradation of organic dye pollutants.