Porous SnIn4S8 microspheres in a new polymorph that promotes dyes degradation under visible light irradiation

Porous SnIn(4)S(8) microspheres were initially synthesized through a facile solvothermal approach and were investigated as visible-light driven photocatalysts for dyes degradation in polluted water. The photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, N(2) adsorption-desorption, and UV-vis diffuse reflectance techniques. Results demonstrated that the as-synthesized SnIn(4)S(8) was of a new tetragonal polymorph, showing a band-gap of 2.5 eV, a specific surface area of 197 m(2) g(-1), and an accessible porous structure as well. The photocatalytic activity of the porous SnIn(4)S(8) was evaluated by decomposition of several typical organic dyes including methyl orange, rhodamine B, and methylene blue in aqueous solution under visible light irradiation. It is demonstrated that porous SnIn(4)S(8) was highly photoactive and stable for dyes degradation, showing photocatalytic activity much higher than binary constituent sulfides like In(2)S(3), SnS(2), or even ternary chalcogenide ZnIn(2)S(4) photocatalyst. The excellent photocatalytic performance of porous SnIn(4)S(8) is the consequence of its high surface area, well-defined porous texture, and large amount of hydroxyl radicals.