Biomolecule-assisted solvothermal synthesis of 3D hierarchical Cu2FeSnS4 microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.03.066
• Publication Date: 2015-03-31T03:17:43Z
• Authors: Jiasong Zhong; Qingyao Wang; Daqin Chen; Leifeng Chen; Hua Yu; Hongwei Lu; Zhenguo Ji
• Keywords: Photodegradation; Solvothermal synthesis; Environmentally Friendly; Biomolecule; Morphology

Abstract In this work, we developed a novel environmentally friendly strategy toward solvothermal synthesis of 3D hierarchical Cu2FeSnS4 microspheres with the utilization of l -cystine, an amino acid, as a coordination agent and sulfur donor. The crystal structure, surface morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared products were investigated. The results showed that the 3D hierarchical Cu2FeSnS4 microspheres were composed of stannite nanosheets, and the average thickness of nanosheets was 100 nm. Moreover, the 3D hierarchical Cu2FeSnS4 exhibited high efficiency in the photodegradation of RhB under visible light illumination, suggesting a promising candidate for treatment of organic pollutants in waste water.