Facile synthesis of uniform ZnxCd1−xS alloyed hollow nanospheres for improved photocatalytic activities

In this work, we demonstrate that a facile template-free method has been developed for the fabrication of uniform ZnxCd1−xS (0 ≤ x ≤ 1) alloyed hollow nanospheres. The as-prepared ZnxCd1−xS hollow nanospheres have been investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (JEOL-6700F) and transmission electron microscopy (JEOL 3010), respectively. The research results indicate that the as-prepared ZnxCd1−xS hollow nanospheres are with an average diameter of 80 and 30 nm in shell thickness. As expected, the as-prepared Zn0.5Cd0.5S alloyed hollow nanospheres show improved photocatalytic performance towards photodegradation of Rhodamine B. These findings may open new opportunities for the design of effective, stable, and easy-recyclable photocatalytic materials.