Fabricating and characterising ZnO-ZnS-Ag sub(2)S ternary nanostructures with efficient solar-light photocatalytic activity

• Published in: Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP Vol. 16; no. 40; pp. 22418 - 22425
• Main Authors: Zamiri, R, Abbastabar Ahangar, H, Tobaldi, D M, Rebelo, A, Seabra, M P, Shabani, M, Ferreira, JMF
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.09.2014
• Subjects: Diffraction; Dispersions; Electron microscopes; Illumination; Lighting; Nanostructure; Photocatalysis; X-rays
• ISSN: 1463-9076; 1463-9084
• DOI: 10.1039/c4cp02945c

ZnO-ZnS-Ag sub(2)S ternary nanostructures were prepared by a simple and low-cost chemical precipitation method. The sample was characterised by X-ray diffraction, energy-dispersive X-ray, UV-Vis-NIR, Raman and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Morphology of the sample was studied by scanning electron microscopy and it was observed that ZnO nanoplates were covered with ZnS and Ag sub(2)S nanoparticles. A high resolution transmission electron microscope was used to obtain further information about the crystalline domains of the prepared ternary nanostructure. The Kramers-Kronig method and classical dispersion theory were utilised to study the optical properties of the sample in the far-infrared region. Photocatalytic activity of the prepared samples was also attained in the gas-solid phase by using a solar lamp (simulating outdoor lighting) and monitoring NO sub(x) degradation.