Facile preparation of Zn0.5Cd0.5S@RGO nanocomposites as efficient visible light driven photocatalysts.

The reduced graphene oxide (RGO) loaded Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S nanocomposite has been successfully prepared by a facile solvothermal method. The as-prepared photocatalysts were characterized by a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and N 2 absorption-desorption. The Zn 0.5 Cd 0.5 S@RGO composites with a RGO content of 0.5 wt% (GS-0.5) showed the highest photocatalytic activity for the degradation of various dyes (methylene blue, methyl orange and Rhodamine B), which is mainly due to the uniform dispersion of nanoparticles on RGO sheets and the enhanced separation rate of photo-induced electrons and holes. The GS-0.5 photocatalyst can be repetitively used without significant loss of activity. This new material holds great promise for applications in the field of water purification as well as optoelectronic fields at a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]