Advancing energy and water solutions: Unleashing the potential of Nd₂S₃:Ni₉S₈ thin film for supercapacitors and sustainable water purification

Abstract

The research was done on the creation and use of bi‐metal sulfide thin film, Nd2S3:Ni9S8. 41 nm‐sized crystallites with 80% crystallinity were found in the material. The evaluated optical characteristics showed a 2.9 eV band gap energy. The presence of Nd3d, S2p, and Ni2p in the created material was confirmed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Voltammetry tests were carried out to assess the electrochemical characteristics. With a value of 750 Fg−1, the findings obtained showed remarkable supercapacitive capability. Additionally, a thorough examination was done to learn more about the material's potential as a photocatalyst. Malachite green dye, fuberidazole, and phenol were used as environmental contaminants to test the thin films' photocatalytic degradation effectiveness. The highest degradation was found for fuberidazole with a rate constant of 2.46x10−2 min−1. The results demonstrated the versatility of thin films and their efficacy in degrading these pollutants, highlighting their potential for environmental remediation applications.