Synthesis of Cu9S5, SnS2, and Cu2SnS3 Nanoparticles from Precursor Complexes and Their Photodegradation Activities on Methyl Orange

In the present study, binary (Cu 9 S 5 and SnS 2 ) and ternary (Cu 2 SnS 3 —CTS) have been prepared by a one-pot thermal decomposition of copper(II) bis ( N -methyl- N -paramethoxyphenyl) dithiocarbamate, dimethyltin(IV) bis ( N -methyl- N -paramethoxyphenyl) dithiocarbamate, and the co-thermal decomposition of both complexes in oleylamine, respectively. The crystallinity and structural properties of the semiconductor nanoparticles were investigated using X-ray diffraction analyses, which confirmed the purity of the Cu 9 S 5 , SnS 2 , and Cu 2 SnS 3 nanoparticles. Morphological studies using scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed hexagonal plate-like particles of the SnS 2 , quasi-spherical shapes for both Cu 9 S 5 and Cu 2 SnS 3 in the SEM images. These morphologies were also corroborated by the transmission electron microscopic analysis. Optical analysis by absorption spectroscopy showed absorption in the visible to near infra-red region, and an estimated band gap energy that were greater than their respective bulk. The visible-light photocatalytic evaluation of these nanomaterials showed good activities for the photo-enhanced degradation of methyl orange (MO), with the SnS 2 and Cu 2 SnS 3 exhibiting comparable properties (> 90% removal efficiency) and better than the Cu 9 S 5 nanoparticles with