Visible-Light Photocatalytic Enhancement in Hydrothermally Synthesized Cd₁S₁₋ₓ Nanoparticles: Structural and Optical Characterization
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Abstract
Cadmium sulfide cd1s1−x nanoparticles were synthesized using a simple and cost-effective hydrothermal method by varying the Cd:S molar ratio to investigate its effect on the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (Rh-B) in aqueous solution under simulated solar irradiation serves as a model organic pollutant. Structural and morphological characterization using XRD, SEM, and UV–Vis spectroscopy confirmed the particularity of cd1s1−x particle with good crystallinity and visible light absorption properties. The photocatalytic efficiency of the cd1s1−x nanoparticles exhibited a strong dependence on the sulfur ion concentration, indicating the critical role of precursor ratio in tuning photocatalyst performance. Among the samples, the one prepared with x= 0.3026 exhibited the highest degradation efficiency, achieving nearly complete removal of Rh-B within 73 minutes. The enhanced photocatalytic performance is attributed to the optimized particle size, which improves crystallinity and surface area, facilitating more efficient charge separation, light absorption, and separation of photogenerated charge carriers. This study highlights the crucial role of precursor composition in tailoring the structural and functional properties of cd1s1−x nanoparticles, providing a straightforward and scalable approach for developing efficient visible-light-responsive photocatalysts for environmental remediation applications.
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