Hexagonal tin disulfide nanoplatelets: A new photocatalyst driven by solar light

Abstract

Single-crystalline, hexagonal tin disulfide (SnS₂) nanoplatelets were successfully synthesized through an improved solvothermal process with SnCl₄·5H₂O and carbon disulfide (CS₂) as precursors. The crystal phase, morphology, and crystal lattice of the prepared products were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), respectively. Results reveal that the synthesized SnS₂ nanoplatelets are in the hexagonal structure with 20–60 nm in diameter and 7–10 nm in thickness. The structural and HRTEM analysis indicates that the formation of SnS₂ nanoplatelets with hexagonal morphology result from the accelerating growth of six energetically equivalent high-index crystalline planes {110} and the retarded growth of {001} crystalline planes. The photocatalytic degradation properties of hexagonal SnS₂ nanoplatelets driven by solar light were further investigated with Rhodamine B (RhB) as simulating pollutant. Results show that these SnS₂ nanoplatelets have a good performance of photocatalytic degradation on RhB, and the decolorizing rate can reach 97.7% after being irradiated for 70 min by solar light. Better photocatalytic properties indicate that hexagonal SnS₂ nanoplatelets are a type of promising photocatalyst driven by solar light and have potentially applied prospects in wastewater treatment and environmental protection.