Fabrication of CdS-PbWO4 nanocomposite to improve the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of methylene blue under visible light irradiation

The CdS/PbWO4 nano hetero structure photocatalyst has been successfully prepared by a hydrothermal method. The as-prepared catalyst was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), and photoluminescence (PL). The photocatalytic performances of all the prepared catalysts have been investigated for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) under visible light irradiation. The photocatalytic tests revealed that the CdS/PbWO4 nanocomposite exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity compared with pure CdS and PbWO4 because of the enhanced efficiency of charge carrier separation and interfacial charge transfer in the nanocomposite. The CdS/PbWO4 nanocomposite photocatalyst was found to degrade 92.3% of MB under visible light irradiation and also the photocatalytic mechanism of CdS/PbWO4 nanocomposites was discussed. The results exhibited that the nanocomposite between CdS and PbWO4 played a significant role in their photocatalytic activities.