Frontiers of Materials Science

, Volume 10, Issue 4, pp 385–393 | Cite as

Excellent photocatalytic performance under visible-light irradiation of ZnS/rGO nanocomposites synthesized by a green method

  • Hassan Rayat Azimi
  • Mahmood Ghoranneviss
  • Seyed Mohammad Elahi
  • Mohammad Reza Mahmoudian
  • Farid Jamali-Sheini
  • Ramin Yousefi
Research Article
First Online:
Received:
Accepted:

Abstract

ZnS/graphene nanocomposites with different graphene concentrations (5, 10 and 15 wt.%) were synthesized using L-cysteine as surfactant and graphene oxide (GO) powders as graphene source. Excellent performance for nanocomposites to remove methylene blue (MB) dye and hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) under visible-light illumination was revealed. TEM images showed that ZnS NPs were decorated on GO sheets and the GO caused a significant decrease in the ZnS diameter size. XRD patterns, XPS and FTIR spectroscopy results indicated that GO sheets changed into reduced graphene oxide (rGO) during the synthesis process. Photocurrent measurements under a visiblelight source indicated a good chemical reaction between ZnS NPs and rGO sheets.

Keywords

ZnS/rGO nanocomposites graphene photocatalytic performance water treatment green nanotechnology 
This is a preview of subscription content, log in to check access.

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. [1]
    Azarang M, Shuhaimi A, Yousefi R, et al. One-pot sol–gel synthesis of reduced graphene oxide uniformly decorated zinc oxide nanoparticles in starch environment for highly efficient photodegradation of Methylene Blue. RSC Advances, 2015, 5 (28): 21888–21896CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  2. [2]
    Yousefi R, Jamali-Sheini F, Cheraghizade M, et al. Enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity of strontium-doped zinc oxide nanoparticles. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 2015, 32: 152–159CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  3. [3]
    Jamali-Sheini F, Yousefi R, Bakr N A, et al. Highly efficient photo-degradation of methyl blue and band gap shift of SnS nanoparticles under different sonication frequencies. Materials Science in Semiconductor Processing, 2015, 32: 172–178CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  4. [4]
    Azarang M, Shuhaimi A, Yousefi R, et al. Synthesis and characterization of ZnO NPs/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite prepared in gelatin medium as highly efficient photodegradation of MB. Ceramics International, 2014, 40(7): 10217–10221CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  5. [5]
    Qurashi A, Zhong Z, Alam M W. Synthesis and photocatalytic properties of a-Fe2O3 nanoellipsoids. Solid State Sciences, 2010, 12(8): 1516–1519CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  6. [6]
    Samadi M, Zirak M, Naseri A, et al. Recent progress on doped ZnO nanostructures for visible-light photocatalysis. Thin Solid Films, 2016, 605: 2–19CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  7. [7]
    Akhavan O. Graphene nanomesh by ZnO nanorod photocatalysts. ACS Nano, 2010, 4(7): 4174–4180CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  8. [8]
    Akhavan O, Azimirad R, Safa S, et al. CuO/Cu(OH)2 hierarchical nanostructures as bactericidal photocatalysts. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 2011, 21(26): 9634–9640CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  9. [9]
    Fang X, Zhai T, Gautam U K, et al. ZnS nanostructures: From synthesis to applications. Progress in Materials Science, 2011, 56 (2): 175–287CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  10. [10]
    Sookhakian M, Amin Y M, Basirun W J. Hierarchically ordered macro-mesoporous ZnS microsphere with reduced graphene oxide supporter for a highly efficient photodegradation of methylene blue. Applied Surface Science, 2013, 283: 668–677CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  11. [11]
    Feng Y, Feng N, Zhang G, et al. One-pot hydrothermal synthesis of ZnS–reduced graphene oxide composites with enhanced photocatalytic properties. CrystEngComm, 2014, 16(2): 214–222CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  12. [12]
    Azimi H R, Ghoranneviss M, Elahi M, et al. Photovoltaic and UV detector applications of ZnS/rGO nanocomposites synthesized by a green method. Ceramics International, 2016, 42(12): 14094–14099CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  13. [13]
    Hummers W S, Offeman R E. Preparation of graphitic oxide. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 1958, 80(6): 1339CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  14. [14]
    Ren P G, Yan D X, Ji X, et al. Temperature dependence of graphene oxide reduced by hydrazine hydrate. Nanotechnology, 2011, 22(5): 055705CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  15. [15]
    Chen D, Li L, Guo L. An environment-friendly preparation of reduced graphene oxide nanosheets via amino acid. Nanotechnology, 2011, 22(32): 325601CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  16. [16]
    Adán-Más A, Wei D. Photoelectrochemical properties of graphene and its derivatives. Nanomaterials, 2013, 3(3): 325–356CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  17. [17]
    Golsheikh A M, Lim H N, Zakaria R, et al. Sonochemical synthesis of reduced graphene oxide uniformly decorated with hierarchical ZnS nanospheres and its enhanced photocatalytic activities. RSC Advances, 2015, 5(17): 12726–12735CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  18. [18]
    Chakraborty K, Chakrabarty S, Das P, et al. UV-assisted synthesis of reduced graphene oxide zinc sulfide composite with enhanced photocatalytic activity. Materials Science and Engineering B, 2016, 204: 8–14CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  19. [19]
    Abdullah H, Kuo D-H. Facile synthesis of n-type (AgIn)x Zn2(1–x)S2/p-type Ag2S nanocomposite for visible light photocatalytic reduction to detoxify hexavalent chromium. ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2015, 7(48): 26941–26951CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  20. [20]
    Fellahi O, Barras A, Pan G H, et al. Reduction of Cr(VI) to Cr(III) using silicon nanowire arrays under visible light irradiation. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2016, 304: 441–447CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  21. [21]
    Wu Q, Zhao J, Qin G, et al. Photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) with TiO2 film under visible light. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2013, 142–143: 142–148CrossRefGoogle Scholar
  22. [22]
    Wang Q, Shi X, Xu J, et al. Highly enhanced photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) on AgI/TiO2 under visible light irradiation: Influence of calcination temperature. Journal of Hazardous Materials, 2016, 307: 213–220CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Copyright information

© Higher Education Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2016

Authors and Affiliations

  • Hassan Rayat Azimi
    • 1
  • Mahmood Ghoranneviss
    • 1
  • Seyed Mohammad Elahi
    • 1
  • Mohammad Reza Mahmoudian
    • 2
  • Farid Jamali-Sheini
    • 3
  • Ramin Yousefi
    • 4
  1. 1.Plasma Physics Research Center, Science and Research BranchIslamic Azad UniversityTehranIran
  2. 2.Department of Chemistry, Shahid SherafatUniversity of FarhangianTehranIran
  3. 3.Advanced Surface Engineering and Nano Materials Research Center, Department of Physics, Ahvaz BranchIslamic Azad UniversityAhvazIran
  4. 4.Department of Physics, Masjed-Soleiman BranchIslamic Azad UniversityMasjed-SoleimanIran

Personalised recommendations