Surfactant free fabrication of copper sulphide (CuS–Cu2S) nanoparticles from single source precursor for photocatalytic applications

Abstract

A simple, ethylene glycol chemical reduction method was employed to synthesize CuS–Cu2S nanoparticles from single source copper thiourea complex for removal of persistent organic dyes. Fabricated CuS–Cu2S nanoparticles were characterized by powder XRD (PXRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). Photocatalytic behaviour of CuS–Cu2S nanoparticles was evaluated under direct sunlight for degradation of methylene blue, malachite green, methyl orange, methyl violet and rhodamine B with the help of UV–vis spectroscopy.

Keywords

• Chalcogenides
• Photo catalysts
• Dye degradation