Fabrication of ZnO/ZnS/ZnSe nanosheets for enhanced photocatalytic activity under simulated solar light

Ternary composite ZnO/ZnS/ZnSe nanosheets (NSs) with diverse proportions of three modules successfully manufactured by a plain two-step solvothermal way with the comparison to ZnO/ZnS and ZnO/ZnSe NSs. ZnO/ZnS/ZnSe NSs have the alike geometrical morphology with the ZnO/ZnS and ZnO/ZnSe NSs. The UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS) result reveals that ternary composites can assimilate more quantum photons which are helpful to the photocatalytic reaction. The photocurrent density of ternary composite structures is higher in the photocurrent response of all samples under simulated solar light illumination. Compared with ZnO/ZnS or ZnO/ZnSe binary composite NSs, ZnO/ZnS/ZnSe ternary composite NSs prove a prominent photodegradation property for degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) aqueous solution under simulated sunlight illumination. The project mechanism was confirmed by radical trapping experiments and a superoxide radical anion formation assay. ZnO/ZnS/ZnSe NSs with a molar ratio of S/Se (0.97) display the most outstanding photocatalytic activity and well photocatalytic stability.

Automated summary

Ternary composite ZnO/ZnS/ZnSe nanosheets were successfully manufactured by a two-step solvothermal method, showing higher photocatalytic activity and stability in photodegradation of rhodamine B under simulated sunlight illumination.