Enhanced photocatalytic applications of chitosan-encapsulated silver sulfide quantum dots

This study explores the synthesis, properties, and applications of chitosan-encapsulated silver sulfide (Ag2S) quantum dots (QDs) for biological applications. The investigation focuses on the fluctuations in the physicochemical characteristics of chitosan Ag2S QDs, which can be carefully studied due to their environmental activity. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements reveal that chitosan-coated Ag2S QDs exhibit higher-intensity peaks. The XRD analysis reports a range of crystallite sizes, with a minimum size of 8 nm and a maximum size of 12 nm. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy confirms the presence of chitosan through the detection of functional group peaks. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy studies indicate that the size of the artificial QDs is 6 nm. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy verifies the composition of chitosan-encapsulated Ag2S QDs. Moreover, the chitosan Ag2S QDs demonstrate exceptional photocatalytic activity, as evidenced by the degradation of 92% of methylene blue dye within 1 h. This research provides valuable insights into the synthesis, properties, and potential applications of chitosan-encapsulated Ag2S QDs in diverse fields.