Nanostructured ZnO coated Bi2S3 thin films: Enhanced photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye

Highly transparent heterostructured Bi₂S₃/ZnO semiconducting thin films were successfully fabricated by a facile successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) and chemical bath deposition (CBD) with varying deposition cycles. The Bi₂S₃/ZnO thin films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–Visible spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) and High-resolution Transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) in order to confirm the crystalline structure, optical properties, surface morphology and elemental compositions and the formation of Bi₂S₃/ZnO heterostructure composite. The heterostructured Bi₂S₃/ZnO thin films have been utilized for visible light photocatalyst for methylene blue (MB) dye degradation. The heterostructured nanophotocatalysts (NPC) has directed to a little recombination rates by the action of light electron–hole pairs and leading to enhanced photocatalytic activity. Due to recombination of heterostructured Bi₂S₃/ZnO thin films shows the degradation efficiency of 80–90% under visible irradiation.