Hydrothermally fabricated surfactant-free Cu_xAg_1−xS composites with enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability

Abstract

Here, we report the stable and surfactant-free Cu xAg1− xS composites as nanorod clusters was fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method for the degradation of pesticides including malathion (MLT), monocrotophos (MCP), and chlorpyrifos (CPS) under ultraviolet (UV) light. The degradation of MLT, MCP, and CPS using Cu0.5Ag0.5S were up to 97% after 1 h of UV irradiation. The Cu0.5Ag0.5S nanorods displayed enhanced photocatalytic activity and the rate of degradation was higher than that of pure CuS and Ag2S due to an efficient electron transfer process. The stability and reusability assays indicated that the Cu0.5Ag0.5S retained more than 90% of activity after five cycles of use. The photocatalytic mechanism was explored from the obtained results of enhanced photocatalytic activity of Cu xAg1− xS nanorod clusters.

Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of CuZnS Nanocrystals for Spectrally Flat Visible Light Photodetector Application Using a ZnO/CuZnS Heterojunction

“…Semiconducting nanocrystals (NCs) have garnered significant interest in the past century due to their exceptional chemical and physical characteristics like colloidal nature, high internal quantum efficiency, broadband absorption, IR/NIR sensitivity, direct-bandgap nature, etc . In addition, these semiconducting materials exhibit intriguing properties resulting from quantum confinement effects, stemming from their extremely small size. − The unique properties of these NCs have resulted in distinctions between NCs and their bulk counterparts, even when they possess the same composition. , In recent decades, heavy metal-free ternary inorganic NCs-based photovoltaic devices, including Cu 2 S, CuFeS 2 , CuInS 2 (CIS), AgInS 2 (AIS), and CuInSe 2 (CISe), have garnered significant interest − as well as photocatalytic activity such as Cu x Ag 1– x S, Cd x Ag 1– x S, and Zn x Ag 1– x S. − These materials offer advantages such as tunable bandgaps and high absorption coefficients. However, the fabrication of these devices typically relies on vacuum-based techniques. ,, Among them, copper zinc sulfide (CZS) represents a promising and viable alternative for its broadband absorption.…”