Highly effective direct decomposition of organic pollutants via Ag-Zn co-doped In2S3/rGO photocatalyst

Abstract

Currently, novel photocatalysts have attracted increasing attention to effectively utilizing abundant solar energy to meet the energy demands of humans and mitigate environmental burdens. In this work, we developed a novel and highly efficient photocatalyst consisting of In₂S₃ doped with two elements (Ag and Zn) and decorated with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets. The crystal structure, morphology, electrical properties, and optical properties of the prepared materials were studied using various analytical techniques, and their photocatalytic activity was thoroughly investigated. It was confirmed that within 10 min, over 97% decomposition of organic dyes was achieved by using Ag-Zn co-doped In₂S₃/rGO catalyst, while only 50 and 60% decompositions were achieved by conventional pure In₂S₃ and In₂S₃/rGO nanocomposite, respectively. Its photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting performance was also significantly improved (∼120%) compared with pure In₂S₃ nanoparticles. This study provides a new vision of using Ag-Zn:In₂S₃ decorated on rGO sheets as an efficient photocatalyst under solar light irradiation for environmental remediation and hydrogen production.

Keywords: Ag–Zn co-Doping; Indium sulfide; Organic pollutant photodegradation; Reduced graphene oxide; Water treatment; Water-splitting.