Morphology controlled synthesis of SnS₂ nanomaterial for promoting photocatalytic reduction of aqueous Cr(VI) under visible light.

A mild, template free protocol has been demonstrated for SnS2 nanoflake formation at the gram level from SnCl2 and thioacetamide (TAA). The SnS2 nanoflakes congregate to nanoflowers and nanoyarns with variable TAA concentrations. BET measurements reveal that the synthesized nanomaterials are highly porous having very high surface area, and the nanoflower has higher surface area than the nanoyarn. The synthesized nanomaterial finds application for promoting photoreduction of extremely toxic and lethal Cr(VI) under visible light irradiation due to their porous nature. The nanoflowers photocatalyst is proved to be superior to nanoyarn due to the increased surface area and higher pore volume. It was also inferred that increased pH decreased the reaction rate. The present result suggests that the morphology-dependent photoreduction of Cr(VI) by SnS2 nanomaterial under visible light exposure will endorse a new technique for harvesting energy and purification of wastewater.