In situ construction of a novel Bi/CdS nanocomposite with enhanced visible light photocatalytic performance

•Semimetal Bi nanoparticles were assembled on the surface of CdS.•An in-situ chemical reduction method was used to construct the Bi/CdS nanocomposite.•The intimate interface between Bi and CdS resulted in an improved photoactivity.•The underlying photocatalysis mechanism for organic dye degradation was proposed.

A novel Bi/CdS nanocomposite is obtained via an in-situ chemical reduction method under mild conditions. The incorporation of Bi nanostructure can significantly enhance the photocatalytic performance for methyl orange (MO) and salicylic acid (SA) degradation compared with pristine CdS under visible light irradiation. The dramatically improved photoactivity can be attributed to the enhanced light absorption and optimized charge separation. In addition, the photocatalysis mechanism upon Bi/CdS for MO degradation is also investigated. This study is hoped to provide a new inspiration for the construction of high-efficiency semimetal/semiconductor photocatalysts, especially for non-noble metal/MxSy nanocomposites.

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