resumo
Copper sulphide crystallizes in a variety of phases that exhibit distinct optical properties including different optical band gaps in the visible region. The crystalline phases are associated with unique properties shown by semiconductor nanocrystals that could be exploited to produce new photocatalysts with tuned optical behavior. This research reports on the use of ionic liquids as a reaction medium to produce copper sulphide nanocrystals whose crystalline phase depends on the synthesis conditions. Noteworthy, these solvents allow the production of water dispersible copper sulphides following the thermal treatment of Cu(II) alkyldithiocarbamates complexes, used here as single-molecule precursors, thus improving their potential for heterogeneous photocatalysis in the aqueous phase. Finally, the ensuing copper sulphides have been preliminarily assessed for their photocatalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB). The results indicate that the ionic liquid route described here has an impact on the copper sulphides produced and thereby on their performance as photocatalysts.
palavras-chave
VISIBLE-LIGHT; SEMICONDUCTOR PHOTOCATALYSIS; STRUCTURAL-CHARACTERIZATION; SOLVOTHERMAL PROCESS; ASSISTED SYNTHESIS; CU2S NANOCRYSTALS; ORGANIC POLLUTANT; METAL SULFIDES; THIN-FILMS; CUS
categoria
Chemistry
autores
Estrada, AC; Silva, FM; Soares, SF; Coutinho, JAP; Trindade, T
nossos autores
Ana Cristina Estrada
Investigador Júnior
Fábio Martins Silva
Estudante de doutoramento
Sofia Soares
Investigador Júnior
Tito Trindade
Professor Catedráticoagradecimentos
This research was financed in the scope of the FCT Project UTAP-ICDT/CTMNAN/0025/2014 and through the project CICECO-Aveiro Institute of Materials, POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007679 (FCT Ref. UID/CTM/50011/2013), financed by national funds through the FCT/MEC and when appropriate co-financed by FEDER under the PT2020 Partnership Agreement. The authors are very grateful to Dr Carlos S'a (CEMUP), Dr Marta Ferro and MSc M. C. Azevedo for technical support. A. C. E. also thanks FCT for a post-doctoral grant (SFRH/BPD/86780/2012).