Morphological regulation of CdS/Ga0.04Cd0.96S nanocomposites for enhanced efficiency of solar-driven rhodamine B degradation

In recent years, semiconductor-based nanocomposites have emerged as promising materials for solar-driven photocatalytic degradation of organic pollutants. In this study, GaxCd1_xS nanospheres were successfully synthesized through the interstitial doping of Ga ions into CdS nanospheres via a hydrothermal route. These nanospheres were further employed to create CdS NRs/Ga0.04Cd0.96S nanocomposites using solvothermal methods, aiming to enhance the efficiency of solar-driven rhodamine B (Rh-B) degradation. The photocatalytic activities of the prepared CdS nanostructures, Ga0.04Cd0.96S nanospheres, and CdSNRs/Ga0.04Cd0.96S nanocomposites were evaluated for dye removal and photocatalytic degradation. Notably, Ga0.04Cd0.96S (1:30) nanospheres exhibited high efficiency in degrading Rh-B compared to pure CdS nanostructures under identical reaction conditions. Single CdS NRs/Ga0.04Cd0.96S (1:1) demonstrated stable cyclic photocatalytic performance over multiple rounds of use. The study further elucidated the enhanced separation and lower recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes in CdS NRs/Ga0.04Cd0.96S compared to Ga0.04Cd0.96S, as confirmed by PL spectrum and photocurrent response studies. The scavenger method was employed to identify reactive species, providing insights into the mechanism of Rh-B degradation. Additionally, the proposed mechanism of photocatalytic degradation of Rh-B over the CdS NRs/Ga0.04Cd0.96S nanocomposites was discussed. This research contributes valuable insights into the development of efficient semiconductor-based nanocomposites for solardriven photocatalysis, addressing environmental concerns related to organic pollutant degradation.