Excellent Photocatalytic Degradation of Indigo Dye using Low Cost Chemical Route Grown Highly Luminescent SnO2 Decorated Polystyrene Nanocomposites

Abstract

Irrational use of dye is a challenge for our environment specifically for clean water. Highly luminescent SnO2 decorated Polystyrene nanocomposites developed as an effective solution for it. The low cost chemical synthesis of highly luminescent tin oxide decorated Polystyrene (SnO2-PS) polymer nanocomposites using recyclable expended polystyrene waste has been reported. Sol gel grown tin oxide nanoparticles, thoroughly dissolved in dissolved in toluene were used with recyclable expended polystyrene waste. The composites were grown either on glass substrates or developed as flexible self sustaining layers and characterized by optical, structural & morphological characterizations. X ray diffractograms of SnO2-PS polymer nanocomposites exhibit crystalline behavior with tetragonal structure of SnO2. Accumulation of SnO2 particles on the surface with increasing concentration, in the form of spherical structures is observed in AFM micrographs. Hollow vertical chain like growth is also observed. Absorption edge shift towards higher wavelength results in decrease in band gap with increasing concentration. The Photoluminescence (PL) spectra for higher SnO2 shows a significant peak peaks in visible spectra at about 425 nm. SnO2 decorated Polystyrene nanocomposites synthesized using recyclable expended polystyrene waste opens a new scope in flexible optoelectronic applications with visible region photoluminescence.