Tin oxide quantum dots decorated graphitic carbon nitride for enhanced removal of organic components from water: Green process

摘要

Quantum dots being zero dimensional and much smaller in size have special properties and density of states that can be exploited for various commercial applications relative to bulk counterparts. Specific characteristics of semiconductor metal oxides are tunable by controlling size, composition, shape and combination with metal or non-metal component. Current study focus the facile fabrication of SnO2qunatum dots decorated on 2-D material g-C3N4. Using a simple route SnO2/g-C3N4nanonybrids have been prepared in pure phase with size of SnO2are found in Quantum dots (QDs) range (2–10?nm) and applied to target the enhanced photocatalytic activity. The structural and morphological features of SnO2/g-C3N4nanohybrids were successfully conducted by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), respectively. The photocatalytic performance of the SnO2/g-C3N4nanohybrids was evaluated for the degradation of Rhodamine-B (RhB) solution, and an enhanced activity is observed attesting synergetic effect between SnO2QDs and exfoliated g-C3N4layers. It is found that the ratio of SnO2to g-C3N4in the hybrids critically affects the photocatalytic activity, with ratio 1:2 showing best performance. The present study offers simple and facile method to highlight the promising contribution of SnO2/g-C3N4hybrid in eliminating waste water organic contaminants and environmental issues.