Development of a new efficient visible-light-driven photocatalyst from SnS2 and polyvinyl chloride

•A new visible light photocatalyst was developed from SnS2 and polyvinyl chloride.•The new photocatalyst exhibited much higher activity than SnS2 in Cr(VI) reduction.•The new photocatalyst demonstrated good photocatalytic stability and reusability.•A photocatalytic mechanism was proposed.•Reasons for the new catalyst's improved photocatalytic efficiency were elucidated.

This work reports the development of a new efficient visible-light-driven composite photocatalyst comprising SnS2 nanoflakes and conjugated polymer (CPVC) from the dehydrochlorination of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The optimum synthesis conditions were explored to obtain the most efficient SnS2/CPVC composite photocatalyst. The formation of SnS2/CPVC nanocomposites was confirmed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, and elemental mapping characterization. The photocatalytic tests demonstrated that SnS2/CPVC nanocomposites exhibited not only far higher visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity than SnS2 nanoflakes, but also good photocatalytic stability and reusability in the reduction of aqueous Cr(VI) under visible-light (λ > 420 nm) irradiation. The mechanism underlying the improved photocatalytic efficiency of SnS2/CPVC nanocomposites was elucidated, based on comparison between the optical, photoelectric, and electrochemical properties of SnS2/CPVC nanocomposites and SnS2 nanoflakes, as well as the matched electronic band structures between SnS2 and CPVC.

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