Abstract

In this study, the coupled photocatalysts ZnS/WO3 were synthesized by a simple co-precipitation method, varying the content of ZnS (1, 5, and 10 wt%). The obtained materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy coupled to energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), N-2 physisorption, UV-Vis with diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), atomic absorption (AAS), infrared (IR), and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopies. Furthermore, the synthesized photocatalysts were evaluated on the photo catalytic degradation of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) under simulated sunlight. The activity of the different coupled photocatalysts ZnS/WO3 was significantly improved compared to the individual semiconductors (ZnS and WO3). This enhancement was attributed to the reduced recombination rate determined through PL analysis. The ZnS5%/ WO3 photocatalyst exhibited the highest performance in comparison with the other coupled materials, achieving complete SMX degradation in 60 min. In combination, the enhanced specific surface area, high particle dispersion, and reduced recombination rate define the ZnS5%/WO3 photocatalyst as a suitable candidate for photocatalytic environmental applications.