Interface engineered cascade-type electronic structure of 2D/0D/2D CdS-CdCO 3 /SnO 2 quantum dots/g-C 3 N 4 nanocomposite for boosting solar-driven photocatalysis

• Published in: Environmental research Vol. 256; p. 119202
• Main Authors: Lee, JinHyeok, Lee, Yechan, Yu, Jii, Yim, Kiseong, Kadam, Abhijit N, Lee, Sang-Wha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands 01.09.2024
• Subjects: Azo Compounds - chemistry; Cadmium Compounds - chemistry; Catalysis; Graphite - chemistry; Nanocomposites - chemistry; Nitriles - chemistry; Nitrogen Compounds - chemistry; Photochemical Processes; Quantum Dots - chemistry; Sulfides - chemistry; Sunlight; Tin Compounds - chemistry; SnO quantum dots; Cascade-type electronic structure; Cadmium sulfide; Photocatalysis; 2D/0D/2D heterojunction; Graphitic carbon nitride
• ISSN: 1096-0953
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119202

A rational design of heterojunctions with high-quality contacts is essential for efficiently separating photogenerated charge carries and boosting the solar-driven harvesting capability. Herein, we fabricated a novel heterojunction of SnO quantum dots-anchored CdS-CdCO with g-C N nanosheets as a superior photocatalyst. SnO quantum dots (SQDs) with positively charged surfaces were tightly anchored on the negatively charged surface of CdS nanosheets (NSs). The resulting CdS@SnO was finally decorated with g-C N NSs, and a new crystalline phase of CdS-CdCO was formed during the hydrothermal decoration process, g-C N decorated CdS-CdCO @SnO (CdS-CdCO @SnO @g-C N ). The as-synthesized photocatalysts were evaluated for the degradation of methyl orange dye under solar light conditions. The CdS-CdCO @SnO @g-C N exhibited 7.7-fold and 2.3-fold enhancements in photocatalytic activities in comparison to those of the bare CdS and CdS@SnO NSs, respectively. The optimal performance of CdS-CdCO @SnO @g-C N is primarily attributed to the cascade-type conduction band alignments between 2D/0D/2D heterojunctions, which can harvest maximum solar light and effectively separate photoexcited charge carriers. This work provides a new inspiration for the rational design of 2D/0D/2D heterojunction photocatalyst for green energy generation and environmental remediation applications.