Photocatalytic Degradation of Rhodamine B and Malachite Green by Cobalt Sulfide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Present study reports the simple and cost effective thermolytic method for the synthesis of cobalt sulphide nanoparticles (CoS NPs). The PXRD spectrum of cobalt sulphide (CdS) nanoparticles exhibited four peaks indexed to (100), (101), (102) and (110) crystal planes. The average particle size observed from DLS and PXRD was in the range 4.81-12.20 nm. A blue shift in band gap was observed from UV-visible spectra. The FESEM and TEM studies revealed that cobalt sulfide nanoparticles are of cubic and rectangle shapes. FTIR spectra of hexadecylamine (HDA) capped CoS NPs exhibited ν(N-H) absorption around 3350-3240 cm–1. The stretching frequency due to ν(Co-S) appeared in the region 334-332 cm–1. Proton NMR (1H) spectra of CoS NPs showed signals at nearly same positions as in case of capping agent, suggesting its capping nature. ESI-MS analyses of cobalt sulphide nanoparticles displayed peak at m/z = 124.93 corresponding to the [CoS2]+ ion. Thermogravimetric curves showed single step decomposition corresponding to 84.28% weight loss and 15.72% as final residue due to cobalt oxide. The degradation rate of rhodamine B and malachite green dyes after irradiating with sunlight showed 92-94% degradation while irradiated with UV-light of 4.8 eV show much slower degradation rate.