Nanoparticles assembled SnO2 nanosheet photocatalysts for wastewater purification

In this work, nanoparticles assembled SnO2 nanosheet structures are synthesized through a facile hydrothermal route. The as-synthesized SnO2 products are characterized through X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and specific surface area analyzer. Simultaneously, the as-synthesized products are studied for degradation of several organic dyes and removal of heavy metal ions (Fe3+ and Ni2+). The results show the as-synthesized SnO2 products possess excellent photocatalytic activities and good removal abilities to Fe3+ and Ni2+, which could be attributed to large specific surface area and unique structure of the as-synthesized SnO2 products. It demonstrates that the as-synthesized SnO2 nanosheets possess potential applications in wastewater purification. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.