In-situ synthesis of floating ZnIn2S4/cellulose foam for facile photocatalysis.

The delicate design of photocatalyst monoliths is of great significance for the practical applications of artificial photocatalysis. An in-situ synthesis to prepare ZnIn 2 S 4 /cellulose foam was developed. Cellulose is dispersed in a highly concentrated ZnCl 2 aqueous solution to prepare Zn2+/cellulose foam. Zn2+ ions are pre-anchored by hydrogen bonds on cellulose and become in-situ sites for synthesizing ultra-thin ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets. This synthesis method makes ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets and cellulose tightly bound and prevents ZnIn 2 S 4 nanosheets from stacking in multiple layers. As a proof of concept, the prepared ZnIn 2 S 4 /cellulose foam exhibits a favorable performance for photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) under visible light. By adjusting the concentration of zinc ions, the optimal ZnIn 2 S 4 /cellulose foam is capable to completely reduce Cr(VI) in 2 h and the photocatalytic activities show no decrease after 4 cycles. This work could inspire people to build floating cellulose-based photocatalysts via in-situ synthesis. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]