Photocatalytic activity of Zn2SnO4-SnO2 nanocomposites produced by sonochemistry in combination with high temperature calcination

Zn2SnO4 nanocubes-SnO2 (ZTO(NC)-SnO2) and Zn2SnO4 nanoparticles-SnO2 (ZTO(NP)-SnO2) were successfully produced by a combination of sonochemical route in mixture solvents of different contents of ethylene glycol - de-ionized water and high temperature calcination. The phase and morphology were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). ZTO(NP)-SnO2 nanocomposites exhibit higher photocatalytic activity than ZTO(NC)-SnO2 through the degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye under UV light. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.