Photocatalytic activity of nanoparticles of metal sulfides in the degradation of organic dyes

The photocatalytic degradation of dyes at the nanosized sulfides of transition metals in aqueous solutions was investigated. The rate of degradation increases with decrease in the synthesis temperature of the nanoparticles and with the addition of alcohol. The substitution of Cd²⁺ cations by Ag⁺ or Cu²⁺ leads to a decrease in the photoactivity of the CdS, while substitution by In³⁺ leads to an increase. The substitution of Ni²⁺ and Co²⁺ cations in the corresponding sulfides by Cd²⁺ leads to an increase in the rate of degradation. __________ Translated from Teoreticheskaya i éksperimental’naya Khimiya, Vol. 42, No. 5, pp. 276–280, September–October, 2006.