Construction of a ternary Z-scheme In2S3@Au@P3HT photocatalyst for the degradation of phenolic pollutants under visible light

A ternary nanoflower, In2S3@Au@P3HT, doped with gold nanoparticles and covered with a nanolayer P3HT, was prepared. The P3HT content was tuned for broader visible-light adsorption and higher photocurrents, whereas the Au NPs act as the charge transfer medium to construct a ternary Z-type heterojunction photocatalyst. The effective photocatalytic performance can be attributed to these synergistic benefits and was verified by applying the nanoflower to water remediation. Phenol, an organic pollutant that does not readily degrade, was chosen for photo-oxidative degradation. Application of the In2S3@Au@P3HT nanocomposites resulted in rapid degradation with almost 95% of the phenol (10 ppm) being degraded within 80 min. A new strategy for the preparation of this highly-efficient photocatalyst is provided.

Automated summary

A ternary nanoflower, In2S3@Au@P3HT, doped with gold nanoparticles and covered with a nanolayer P3HT, was prepared for efficient photocatalytic degradation of the organic pollutant phenol. The synergistic benefits of the gold nanoparticles and P3HT layer contribute to the high performance of the ternary Z-type heterojunction photocatalyst, showing rapid degradation of phenol in water remediation applications. This new strategy for preparing the highly-efficient photocatalyst provides potential for further environmental remediation solutions.