Hydrothermal synthesis of chalcostibite nanoflowers with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity

A novel visible-light-driven CuSbS2 nanoflowers (CAS-NFs) catalysts were successfully synthesized through a low-cost and easy hydrothermal method. The unique point of our work is to investigate the photocatalytic activities of the synthesized catalysts and their use for environmental remediation. The as-synthesized CuSbS2 catalysts were carefully characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy tools. Stoichiometric CAS-NFs were achieved for hydrothermal reaction temperature 150 °C and reaction time closer to 15 h. To check the photocatalytic activity of CAS-NFs, we have used two wastewater dyes, namely, methyl orange and rhodamine B under visible light irradiation. The results indicate that rhodamine B presented higher photocatalytic degradation as compared to methyl orange. Furthermore, the photodegradation rate over five sequential cycles as well as scavenging studies has been scrutinized for RhB dye under visible light. The results indicate its outstanding stability and reusability. Based on the results of radical’s scavenger experiments, we demonstrate that h+ and (•OH) radicals are the main reactive species. Lastly, a judicious mechanism was suggested to demonstrate the photocatalytic degradation process by the CAS-NFs for rhodamine B dye under Xe-lamp irradiation.