Photocatalytic degradation of organic dye on porous iron sulfide film surface

• Published in: Journal of colloid and interface science 2013-03, Vol.393, p.286-290
• Main Authors: Bhar, Sanjib Kumar, Jana, Sumanta, Mondal, Anup, Mukherjee, Nillohit
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: aqueous solutions; Catalysis; Chemical synthesis; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Degradation; Deposition; Dyes; energy; Exact sciences and technology; Ferrous Compounds - chemistry; General and physical chemistry; Iron; Nanocrystals; Nanostructured thin films; nitroprusside; optical properties; Particle Size; Photocatalysis; Photocatalytic activity; Photochemical Processes; Photochemistry; photoluminescence; Physical chemistry of induced reactions (with radiations, particles and ultrasonics); Porosity; Porous materials; Quantum confinement; Rose Bengal - chemistry; scanning electron microscopy; Semiconductors; sodium sulfide; Structural analyses; Sulfides; Surface Properties; wastewater treatment; X-ray diffraction
• ISSN: 0021-9797; 1095-7103
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2012.10.049

[Display omitted] . ► Facile route for synthesizing porous FeS2 films from an iron nitroprusside precursor film. ► FeS2 films with marcasite phase were deposited within 5min of reaction. ► Film morphology was found to have uneven mesopores, leading to better adsorption of dyes. ► These mesoporous semiconducting films showed good photocatalytic activity toward organic dye. ► Such films could find potential applications in controlling organic pollutants. Thin films of nanocrystalline and porous FeS2 with marcasite phase have been deposited from a greenish-blue iron nitroprusside precursor film, which readily gives FeS2 on reacting with an aqueous solution of sodium sulfide. High resolution X-ray diffraction (HRXRD) pattern indicated the formation of polycrystalline and orthorhombic (marcasite) phase of FeS2, whereas the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) showed the morphology of the films to be consisted of grains of average 25nm diameter with unevenly distributed numerous pores. Optical characterization (UV–Vis and photoluminescence) revealed significant amount of blueshift in the band gap energy of the deposited material, which is attributed to the strong quantum confinement effect exerted by the FeS2 nanocrystals. The deposited FeS2 films showed good photocatalytic activity toward the degradation of Rose Bengal dye and could be found efficient for wastewater treatment.