The Photocatalytic Application of Semiconductor Stibnite Nanostructure Synthesized via a Simple Microwave-Assisted Approach in Propylene Glycol for Degradation of Dye Pollutants and its Optical Property.

Stibnite (SbS) semiconducting material was successfully synthesized by a rapid and facile microwave route using antimony chloride (SbCl) and sodiumthiosulfate (NaSO) dissolved in propylene glycol (PG) containing different hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) masses. The phase identification, morphology, and elemental composition of products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), field- emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results revealed the orthorhombic phase of SbS single crystal-forming sheaf-like nanostructure, and a possible formation mechanism was proposed and discussed.