Preparation of plasmonic CoS/Ag2WO4 nanocomposites: Efficient visible light driven photocatalysts and enhanced anti-microbial activity

Abstract Novel CoS/Ag2WO4 photocatalyst have been synthesized successfully by facile chemical precipitation method under normal pressure. The prepared nano photocatalysts were characterized with UV–vis DRS, TEM, XRD, PL, Raman spectroscopy, EDAX, N2 adsorption-desorption, XPS and FT-IR. The present work describes the enhanced photocatalytic and antimicrobial activity of CoS/Ag2WO4 nanocomposites (NCs). The K value for MB degradation was 0.089 min−1 by CoS/Ag2WO4 which was 8.9 and 3.1 times greater when compared with 0.01 min−1 by Ag2WO4 and 0.028 min−1 by CoS respectively. The broad-spectrum antibacterial property was exhibited by NCs against gram-ve (E. coli) and gram +ve (B. subtilis) bacteria. The NCs showed enhanced photostability and reusability even after six cycles. The scavenging test confirmed that hydroxyl radicals (OH•) were the major species involved in photocatalytic degradation process under visible light irradiation. The results of the present study can be applied in practical application in the area of photocatalysis and antimicrobial applications.