Influence of surfactant-assisted synthesis and different operational parameters on photocatalytic performance of Cu₂FeSnS₄ particles

In this work, a facile polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) assisted solvothermal route using mixed solvents was reported to synthesize uniform quaternary chalcogenide Cu₂FeSnS₄ (CFTS) particles. PVP played a crucial role in tuning the shape and size of the resulted CFTS particles. Without PVP irregular shaped CFTS particles were obtained, however, quasi-spherical CFTS particles were produced by addition of PVP. The average particle sizes of particles were in the range of ~ 360 to ~ 230 nm. Moreover, the photodegradation of Rhodamine-B (RhB) with CFTS particles under visible light was investigated and optimized in terms of PVP concentration, catalyst dosage, dye concentration and pH of the solution. The quenching experiments for reactive species indicates that both hydroxyl and superoxide radicals play roles in the photodegradation. The stability of the as-prepared CFTS particles was demonstrated by reusing it in five consecutive degradation cycles.