Tin sulfide (SnS2) nanoparticles have emerged as promising materials for visible-light-driven photocatalysis due to their suitable bandgap energy (~2.2–2.3 eV), chemical stability in aqueous environments, and ability to degrade organic pollutants. In this study, we systematically investigated the influence of sulfur precursor type—thioacetamide (TAA) versus thiourea (TU)—and the addition of citric acid (CA) as a capping agent on the structural, morphological, and photocatalytic properties of hydrothermally synthesized SnS2 nanoparticles. The results revealed that TAA leads to significantly smaller nanoparticles with an average size of 24.0 nm compared to 616 nm when TU is used. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed that TAA-derived samples predominantly formed hexagonal nanoplatelets, while TU-based samples exhibited larger, irregularly shaped particles. The presence of citric acid during synthesis suppressed the formation of hexagonal structures, promoting disc-shaped morphologies instead, which negatively impacted photocatalytic efficiency.
X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed the dominant phase as hexagonal SnS2 (JCPDS 23-0677), with minor SnO2 impurities (<10%) attributed to local pH fluctuations during hydrothermal treatment. BET surface area measurements showed higher values for TAA-based samples (117.1 m²/g) than those from TU (87.2 m²/g), correlating with smaller particle size and enhanced surface reactivity. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) verified the successful incorporation of citric acid only in CA-containing samples, with characteristic C=O stretching at 1734 cm⁻¹, indicating coordination with SnS2 surfaces. However, this interaction reduced photocatalytic activity, likely due to site blocking and hindered charge transfer. Photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange (MO) under visible light demonstrated superior performance for TAA-synthesized SnS2, achieving 98% degradation within 1.5 hours—significantly faster than TU-based samples (30% degradation in the same time). The apparent rate constant (kapp) for S(TAA) was 0.029 min⁻¹, outperforming TiO2 P25 (kapp = 0.0102 min⁻¹). Kinetic analysis indicated that SnS2 primarily degrades MO via direct reduction of the azo bond (–N=N–), resulting in partial mineralization with sulfanilic acid identified as the main transformation product. Notably, no further oxidation of byproducts occurred, suggesting limited oxidative capability. Recyclability tests over three cycles showed gradual performance decline, especially for S(TAA), linked to structural degradation and increased SnO2 content post-cycling, confirmed by XRD.53-86-1 web
Further evaluation revealed that SnS2 nanoparticles failed to degrade atrazine and imazapic, both containing stable C–N bonds.RBBP5 Antibody manufacturer However, metribuzin—a herbicide with a labile N–N bond—underwent transformation into a unique product (P2), distinct from those formed via photolysis alone, indicating a catalytic role for SnS2 beyond simple photoexcitation.PMID:35151072 These findings highlight the selective nature of SnS2 photocatalysis, particularly effective for azo bond cleavage but ineffective against other functional groups. Thus, SnS2 shows promise as a targeted catalyst for specific pollutant classes rather than a broad-spectrum photocatalyst. Future work should focus on designing heterostructured systems combining SnS2 with materials capable of generating reactive oxygen species to achieve complete mineralization.MedChemExpress (MCE) offers a wide range of high-quality research chemicals and biochemicals (novel life-science reagents, reference compounds and natural compounds) for scientific use. We have professionally experienced and friendly staff to meet your needs. We are a competent and trustworthy partner for your research and scientific projects.Related websites: https://www.medchemexpress.com