Biomolecule-assisted solvothermal synthesis of 3D hierarchical Cu2FeSnS4 microspheres with enhanced photocatalytic activity

In this work, we developed a novel environmentally friendly strategy toward solvothermal synthesis of 3D hierarchical Cu 2 FeSnS 4 microspheres with the utilization of l -cystine, an amino acid, as a coordination agent and sulfur donor. The crystal structure, surface morphology and microstructure of the as-prepared products were investigated. The results showed that the 3D hierarchical Cu 2 FeSnS 4 microspheres were composed of stannite nanosheets, and the average thickness of nanosheets was 100   nm. Moreover, the 3D hierarchical Cu 2 FeSnS 4 exhibited high efficiency in the photodegradation of RhB under visible light illumination, suggesting a promising candidate for treatment of organic pollutants in waste water.