Synthesis of various morphologies of Sb 2 S 3 based on amorphous-crystalline transition with related photodegradation

In this paper, two morphologies of crystalline Sb 2 S 3 as dumbbell-like Sb 2 S 3 and bundle-like Sb 2 S 3 were synthesized by different phase-transformation of amorphous-to-crystalline, respectively. Different factors such as the variation of the solvent ratio, the surfactant, reaction temperature and reaction time were observed to obtain the key factor influencing the morphology. The bandgap of two Sb 2 S 3 was obtained by diffused reflectance spectra and cyclic voltammetry. The charge separation was characterized by fluorescence spectrum, linear sweep voltammetry, transient photocurrent-time curve and electrochemical impedance spectrum. The results showed that bundle-like Sb 2 S 3 had slightly higher light-harvesting and obvious higher charge separation ability, which was beneficial to the photodegradation of malachite green (MG). The photodegrdation path of MG implied the intermediates generated by bundle-like Sb 2 S 3 were more easily decomposed to the small molecules. Bundle-like Sb 2 S 3 displayed excellent reusability in the photodegradation of MG. Superoxide anion radical (·O 2 − ) and hydroxyl radical (·OH) as the active species contributed to the photodegradation reaction.