Hydrothermal synthesis of SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite with high visible light-driven photocatalytic activity

SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite with a heterojunction structure (that is, SnO2 nanoparticles-decorated SnS2 nanoplates) was synthesized via the hydrothermal reaction between SnO2 nanoparticles and thioacetamide in 5 vol.% acetic acid aqueous solution at 150 °C for 3 h, and characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra. The photocatalytic activity of the hydrothermally synthesized SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite was tested by degrading methyl orange in distilled water under visible light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. It was found that the hydrothermally synthesized SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite exhibited superior photocatalytic activity to SnO2 nanoparticles, SnS2 nanoplates and physically mixed SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite. The heterojunction structure of the hydrothermally synthesized SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite, which can facilitate interfacial electron transfer and reduce the self-agglomeration of two components, was considered to play an important role in achieving its higher photocatalytic activity.

► SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite with a heterojunction structure (that is, SnO2 nanoparticles-decorated SnS2 nanoplates) was synthesized via a hydrothermal method.
► It exhibited higher visible light-driven photocatalytic activity than SnO2 nanoparticles, SnS2 nanoplates and physically mixed SnO2/SnS2 nanocomposite.
► The photocatalytic results were rationally explained.