Synthesis of oxy-sulfide based nanocomposite catalyst for visible light-driven reduction of Cr(VI)

The oxy-sulfide based V 2 O 5 @(In,Ga) 2 (O,S) 3 nanocomposite catalyst, at different weight percentages of V 2 O 5 , was successfully synthesized via a simplistic procedural route for the detoxification of hazardous Cr(VI). The two pure catalysts were intimately allied and used for visible light-driven reduction of hazardous Cr(VI). The nanocomposite catalysts were characterized to observe the effects of V 2 O 5 on crystal phase, morphology, light absorption , catalytic activity , and electrical properties. Compared to all, 40% V 2 O 5 loaded nanocomposite catalyst, designated as VOS-2, exhibited the best-reducing capability. It completely reduced toxic Cr(VI) at 2 min under visible light illumination. From the kinetics, it was found that the rate constant of the nanocomposite catalyst was improved by a factor of 3.6 compared to the host nanoflower catalyst. The plausible mechanism of charge transfer process across the interfacial region indicates the diminished recombination probability of photogenerated charge carriers. Therefore, the nanocomposite catalyst is promising for enhanced reduction of Cr(VI) in the Cr-based industrial activities, which is significantly relevant for environmental remediation.