Convenient fabrication of Ni-doped SnO2 quantum dots with improved photodegradation performance for Rhodamine B

Doping technology has been proved to be a productive strategy to realize the multi-functionality of materials. Herein, Ni doped SnO2 quantum dots (QDs) are fabricated through a convenient hydrothermal process. In the fabrication process, Vitamin C (VC) acts as a stabilizer to avoid the precipitating of Sn4+(Ni2+), and Na2CO3 serves as a precipitator to react with Sn4+(Ni2+) to produce Ni doped SnO2 QDs. The influence of the Ni doping amount on the photodegradation performance of SnO2 QDs is studied. It was found that the Ni doped SnO2 QDs with Ni/Sn atomic ratio of 1% display the best photocatalytic performace due to the following advantages: (1) the Ni doping can boost light-harvesting and narrow the band gaps of the SnO2 QDs; (2) the SnO2 QDs with ultra small particle size and large specific surface area can supply more reactive centers for photocatalytic reactions. The two important factors contribute to enhancing the photocatalytic performance of the 1% Ni doped SnO2 QDs. As a result, the 1% Ni doped SnO2 QDs photodegrade 91.5% Rhodamine B after being illuminated by solar light for 28 min, obviously surpassing that of their pure counterparts. (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.