Hydrothermal synthesis of SnS2 nanocrystals for photocatalytic degradation of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol under white LED light irradiation

In this study, SnS2 nanocrystals with controlled morphology were successfully synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method using thiosemicarbazide both as a sulfur source and as a capping agent. The X-ray powder diffraction analysis confirmed the hexagonal phase of these as-prepared SnS2 nanocrystals. Morphological features were studied by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, indicating that the as-prepared SnS2 crystals were nanoparticles. The optical property was studied by ultraviolet-visible diffused reflectance spectroscopy, indicating that the bandgap of SnS2 samples is similar to 2.2 eV. Under white LED light irradiation (lambda = 450 nm), the as-prepared SnS2 nanocrystals exhibited a high photocatalytic activity for degrading 2,4,6-trichlorophenol solution. This work suggests that SnS2 nanocrystal is a potential photocatalyst for detoxification.