Controllable one-pot synthesis of various one-dimensional Bi2S3 nanostructures and their enhanced visible-light-driven photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI)

One-dimensional (1D) Bi2S3 nanostructures with various morphologies, including nanowires, nanorods, and nanotubes, have been successfully synthesized through a facile ethanol-assisted one-pot reaction. It is found that the size, morphology and structure of the products can be conveniently varied or controlled by simply adjusting the volume ratio of ethanol and water in the reaction system. Further experimental results indicate that sulfur source also plays the other crucial role in determining the product morphology. The synthetic strategy developed in this work is highly efficient in producing 1D Bi2S3 nanostructures with high quality and large quantity. Photocatalysis experiments show the as-prepared 1D Bi2S3 nanostructures possess significantly enhanced photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI) when exposed to visible light irradiation. Especially, Bi2S3 nanowires exhibit the highest photocatalytic activity and can be used repeatedly after washed with dilute HCl. (C) 2014 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.