Preparation of flower-like CuS/reduced graphene oxide(RGO) photocatalysts for enhanced photocatalytic activity

Abstract The flower-like CuS/RGO composites were synthesized via a facile one-pot solvothermal method, which displayed outstanding photocatalytic activity for Methylene blue(MB) degradation under Xenon lamp irradiation. The as-prepared samples were e examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), photoluminescence(PL) spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission scanning electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–vis optical absorption spectroscopy to determine the properties of the samples, respectively. The results illustrated that RGO had an important effect on the photocatalytic performance of CuS/RGO for dyes. The flower-like CuS/RGO composites exhibited better photocatalytic activity and excellent recyclability in degrading Methylene blue(MB) solution in comparison with pure CuS. The photocatalytic degradation efficiency of MB reached up to nearly 80% after 140 min irradiation, which was more than four times higher than that of CuS, indicating that CuS/RGO composites could have a great potential application in organic pollutants removal.