Flower-Like ZnO/ZnS Heterostructures: Facile Synthesis, Structural Characterization and Photocatalytic Activity

ZnO/ZnS heterostructures with flower-like morphology have been prepared via a simple two-step chemical solution method at low temperature (80 degrees C). The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and UV-Vis spectroscopy. The results demonstrate that the ZnO/ZnS heterostructure is composed of ZnO microflower coated by ZnS nanoparticles. In the test for photodegradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), the ZnO/ZnS sample shows higher photocatalytic efficiency than those of ZnO precursor and commercial photocatalyst of P25, which is mainly attributed to the effective electron-hole separation at the interfaces of the heterostructures. The ZnO/ZnS photocatalyst also retains good cycling stability during the photocatalytic degradation of RhB.