Fabrication of a novel tin disulfide/vanadium carbide MXene (SnS2/V2CTx) photocatalytic heterojunction with the potential application for environmental remediation.

Lately, researchers have been striving to develop efficient and economically viable multifunctional photocatalysts. This is in effort to address the currently faced energy and water crises. Herein, tin disulfide/vanadium carbide MXene (SnS 2 /V 2 CT x) heterojunction was prepared through facile self-assembly approach, followed by calcination for strong integration of the two materials (SnS 2 and V 2 CT x). The prepared pristine and composite materials' structural characteristics, chemical composition, morphology, and charge transfer kinetics were studied using spectroscopic, microscopic techniques, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The prepared SnS 2 /V 2 CT x composites exhibited improved optical and photoelectrochemical properties compared to the pristine materials. In particular, the energy bandgap (Eg) was reduced from 1.30 eV (SnS 2) to 0.81 eV (SnS 2 /V 2 CT x). Additionally, the calculated band alignments exhibited superior redox potentials towards the generation of useful reactive oxygen species. Moreover, the formation of a heterostructure between SnS 2 and V 2 CT x MXene presents a reproducible approach towards fabrication of efficient photocatalyst with combined synergistic catalytic attributes. [Display omitted] • A SnS 2 /V 2 CT x Schottky-junction was prepared using the facile self-assembly method. • SnS 2 delineated well-defined nanoflowers. • SnS 2 /V 2 CT x composite displayed a narrow energy bandgap of 0.82 eV. • V 2 CT x MXene had an electron trapping ability promoting electron-hole separation. • SnS 2 /V 2 CT x band alignment exhibited superior redox potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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