Synthesis of ZnS Nanoparticles via a Sonochemical Method: Photocatalytic Activity and Optical Properties

Document Type : Regular Article

Authors

1 Department of Engineering, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, Tonekabon, Iran

2 Department of Engineering, Faculty of Science, Islamic Azad University, Ramsar Branch, Ramsar, Iran

10.22036/pcr.2022.341626.2099

Abstract

The synthesis and characterization of ZnS dandelion-like nanoparticles (NPs) via simple and template-free sonochemical method are reported. The elimination of an organic dye methylene blue (MB) as an organic pollutant from an aqueous solution is carried out via photodegradation procedure by the ZnS NPs as a photocatalyst under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. The ZnS NPs are investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy and N2 physisorption analysis. The DRS result reveals that the optical band gap energy of ZnS NPs is 3.55 eV. The FE-SEM and TEM show the average size of dandelion-like NPs is 60 nm. The Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) and Burret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) techniques are used to determine the porosity properties, including pore volume, special surface area and mean pore diameterwith the values of 57.72 m^3/g, 9.76 m^2/g and 16.5 nm, respectively.

Graphical Abstract

Synthesis of ZnS Nanoparticles via a Sonochemical Method: Photocatalytic Activity and Optical Properties

Keywords