Solvothermal synthesis of graphene-Sb2S3 composite and the degradation activity under visible light

Novel graphene-Sb2S3 (G-Sb2S3) composites were synthesized via a facile solvothermal method with graphene oxide (GO), SbCl3 and thiourea as the reactants. GO played an important role in controlling the size and the distribution of the formed Sb2S3 nanoparticles on the graphene sheets with different density. Due to the negative surface charge, smaller Sb2S3 particles size and efficient electrons transfer from Sb2S3 to graphene, the composites demonstrated improved photodegradation activity on rhodamine B (RhB). Among these composites, the product G-Sb2S3 0.1, which was synthesized with the GO concentration of 0.1 mg/mL, exhibited the highest photodegradation activity owing to the considerable density of Sb2S3 nanoparticles onto graphene sheet free of aggregation. Hydroxyl radicals (OH) derived from conduction band (CB) electrons of Sb2S3 is suggested to be responsible for the photodegradation of RhB. The high visible light degradation activity and the satisfactory cycling stability made the as-prepared G-Sb2S3 0.1 an applicable photocatalyst.

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► Graphene-Sb2S3 composites were synthesized through a facile solvothermal method.
► Hydroxyl radicals are the main species responsible for the photodegradation activity.
► Graphene-Sb2S3 demonstrated dramatically improved visible light degradation activity.