Hexagonal SnSe nanoplate supported SnO2 CNTs nanoarchitecture for enhanced photocatalytic degradation under visible light driven
Abstract It is still challengeable to develop low cost metal based photocatalysts with high efficiency and stability for organic pollutant degradation. Herein, we propose a novel "interfacial engineering and suitable band gap matching" strategy to synthesize hexagonal SnSe nanoplate supported SnO2 CNTs for highly efficient photocatalytic activity. The CNTs SnO2/SnSe, constructed by SnO2 nanoparticles homogeneously embedded in carbon nanotube surface, which is anchored on hexagonally crystalline SnSe nanoplates, is synthesized by a facile low cost and eco friendly one pot solvothermal reaction. Compared to SnO2, SnSe, CNTs SnO2, SnO2/SnSe, the CNTs SnO2/SnSe delivers significant performance, enhancement in photocatalytic degradation for aqueous organic dye pollutant under visible light irradiation in 60 min. The k value of CNTs SnO2/SnSe is over 2.2 times larger than CNTs SnO2, SnO2 and SnSe. The remarkably enhanced photodegradation performance of CNTs SnO2/SnSe is mainly attributed to its unique nanoarchitecture, high surface area and band gap matching: the CNTs skeleton can facilitate the electron transfer; band gap diagram of CNTs SnO2/SnSe is beneficial to efficient electron hole charge separation and recombination of electron hole pair can be effectively suppressed. This work presents a rational catalyst design with nanoarchitecture and band gap matching, and a facile one pot synthesis strategy to synthesize low cost photocatalysts for dye pollutant degradation with prominent high efficiency and long term stability.