In-situ synthesis of floating ZnIn2S4/cellulose foam for facile photocatalysis

The delicate design of photocatalyst monoliths is of great significance for the practical applications of artificial photocatalysis. An in-situ synthesis to prepare ZnIn2S4/cellulose foam was developed. Cellulose is dispersed in a highly concentrated ZnCl2 aqueous solution to prepare Zn2+/cellulose foam. Zn2+ ions are pre-anchored by hydrogen bonds on cellulose and become in-situ sites for synthesizing ultra-thin ZnIn2S4 nanosheets. This synthesis method makes ZnIn2S4 nanosheets and cellulose tightly bound and prevents ZnIn2S4 nanosheets from stacking in multiple layers. As a proof of concept, the prepared ZnIn2S4/cellulose foam exhibits a favorable performance for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) under visible light. By adjusting the concentration of zinc ions, the optimal ZnIn2S4/cellulose foam is capable to completely reduce Cr(VI) in 2 h and the photocatalytic activities show no decrease after 4 cycles. This work could inspire people to build floating cellulose-based photocatalysts via in-situ synthesis.

Automated summary

The delicate design of photocatalyst monoliths is crucial for practical applications. In this study, a in-situ synthesis method was developed to prepare ZnIn2S4/cellulose foam, which showed promising photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) under visible light. The tightly bound ZnIn2S4 nanosheets and cellulose prevented the nanosheets from stacking in multiple layers. This work could inspire the development of floating cellulose-based photocatalysts via in-situ synthesis.