Photocatalytic performance of Cu3SnS4 (CTS)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composite prepared via ball milling and solvothermal approach

A visible light-driven Cu3SnS4/rGO (CTS/rGO) composite photocatalyst was prepared using ball milling (B) and solvothermal (S) method. CTS prepared by both the methods was preferentially oriented along the (1 1 2) plane exhibiting a tetragonal structure. The SEM image indicates an irregular structure and flower-like appearance in the morphology of CTS samples prepared by ball milling and solvothermal process, respectively. The impact on the morphological structure of CTS by incorporating rGO in both the methods of preparation has been analysed. UV-vis-DRS shows that the incorporation of rGO effectively influences the light response performance of the composite material in visible light. The photoluminescence (PL) spectra reveal that the composite photocatalyst can either effectually detach the electron-hole pairs and curtail their recombination or enhance the recombination based on the method of preparation owing to the phase purity of the prepared sample. Degradation of the model pollutant methylene blue (MB) was used to study the photocatalytic activity of the samples. The influence of rGO incorporation on the functioning of CTS as a photocatalyst has been studied. The species trapping experiments depicted the prominent role of h(+) active species in the photocatalytic degradation of MB. The mechanism of photocatalysis in the presence of CTS/rGO has been discussed in detail.