Sunlight Responsive 2D/2D SnS2/BiVO4 Nanocomposite for Photocatalytic Removal of Ciprofloxacin Antibiotic from Aqueous Medium

A bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) irregular nanoplates surface decorated with tin disulphide (SnS2) nanoplates is developed as a visible light responsive photocatalyst for the degradation of ciprofloxacin antibiotics. The photocatalyst, named SnS2/BiVO4 is characterized by various physiochemical techniques such as powder X-Ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and photoluminescence. The optimized batch 0.15SnS(2)/BiVO4 photocatalysts degraded 92% (CIP, 10 mg/L) with a rate constant 0.0184 min(-1), which was about 3.75 times and 7.66 times higher than that of the BiVO4 (k = 0.0049 min(-1)) and SnS2 (k = 0.0024 min(-1)) photocatalyst respectively. The improved photocatalytic performance of SnS2/BiVO4 nanocomposite is mainly due to (a) strengthened visible light absorption by 0.15SnS(2)/BiVO4 due to the shifting of absorption edge towards higher wavelength (b) Z-scheme-like band position of BiVO4 and SnS2, (c) efficient inhibition of charge carrier recombination, and (d) in situ generation of reactive oxygen species.