Harnessing rGO–ZnS Nanocomposites for Effective Photocatalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, zinc sulfide nanoparticles (ZnS NPs) were distributed on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as a result of the successful one‐step ultrasonication synthesis of rGO–ZnS nanocomposites (NCs). Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction (XRD), UV‐visible absorption spectroscopy, x‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to thoroughly characterize the structural, morphological, and optical characteristics of the rGO–ZnS NCs. The degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye was used to assess the photocatalytic performance of rGO–ZnS NCs. After 120 min of irradiation, the results showed that the rGO–ZnS NCs had increased photocatalytic activity, reaching a maximum MB degradation rate of 87.5% with a pseudo‐first order kinetic model with a rate constant ( k ) of 0.0189 min −1 . The synergistic actions of rGO and ZnS, which enhance light absorption and electron transport, are responsible for this high degradation efficiency. This work offers a simple and effective way to create rGO–ZnS NCs, which have a great deal of promise for long‐term pollutant removal in real‐world applications.