Synthesis and visible-light photocatalytic potential of nanocomposite based on the cadmium sulfide and titanoniobate

Nanocomposite CdS/HTiNbO5 photocatalysts with application in the visible-light region of spectrum were synthesized via modified precipitation method using HTiNbO5 nanosheet as a subject material and CdS as an object material. The phase identification, morphologies and composites of the as-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Laser Raman spectra, High resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and another. Both photocatalytic activity and stability of the photocatalysts were evaluated by degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation. These nanocomposite photocatalysts exhibit a higher activity than single-phase photocatalysts. The optimal CdS/HTiNbO5 nanocomposite shows the highest degradation rate of 0.024 min−1 with 10 wt% CdS content, which is about 8.9 and 7.3 times that of pure HTiNbO5 nanosheet and CdS, respectively. A possible mechanism for enhanced photocatalytic activity is discussed.