Empowering progress: unraveling the promising capabilities of Cu<sub>2</sub>S:ZnS:NiS<sub>2</sub> trimetal sulphide thin films

doi:10.1007/s11706-024-0695-7

Front. Mater. Sci.

2024, Vol. 18

Issue (3) : 240695 https://doi.org/10.1007/s11706-024-0695-7

Empowering progress: unraveling the promising capabilities of Cu₂S:ZnS:NiS₂ trimetal sulphide thin films

Mahwash Mahar Gul¹, Khuram Shahzad Ahmad¹(

), Andrew Guy Thomas², Mohamed A. Habila³

¹. Department of Environmental Sciences, Fatima Jinnah Women University, Rawalpindi 46000, Pakistan
². Department of Materials, Photon Science Institute, Sir Henry Royce Institute, Alan Turing Building, The University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
³. Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia

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Abstract

This study focuses on the synthesis and characterization of a thin film comprising of trimetallic sulphide, Cu₂S:ZnS:NiS₂. The fabrication process involved the utilization of diethyldithiocarbamate as a sulfur source, employing physical vapor deposition. A range of analytical techniques were employed to elucidate the material’s structure, morphology, and optical characteristics. The thin film exhibited a well-defined crystalline structure with an average crystallite size of 33 nm. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy provided distinct core level peaks associated with Cu 2p, Zn 2p, Ni 2p, and S 2p. The electrochemical properties were assessed through voltammetry measurements, which demonstrated an impressive specific capacitive of 797 F·g⁻¹. The thin film demonstrated remarkable stability over multiple cycles, establishing it as a highly promising candidate for diverse energy storage applications. In addition, comprehensive investigations were carried out to assess the photocatalytic performance of the fabricated material, particularly its efficacy in the degradation of diverse environmental pollutants. These notable findings emphasize the versatility of trimetal sulphide thin films, expanding their potential beyond energy storage and opening avenues for further research and technological advancements in fields including photocatalysis and beyond.

Keywords supercapacitor energy storage photocatalyst thin film metal sulphide

Corresponding Author(s): Khuram Shahzad Ahmad

Issue Date: 10 September 2024

Cite this article:

Mahwash Mahar Gul,Khuram Shahzad Ahmad,Andrew Guy Thomas, et al. Empowering progress: unraveling the promising capabilities of Cu₂S:ZnS:NiS₂ trimetal sulphide thin films[J]. Front. Mater. Sci., 2024, 18(3): 240695.

URL:

https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/10.1007/s11706-024-0695-7
https://academic.hep.com.cn/foms/EN/Y2024/V18/I3/240695

Fig.1 Diagrammatic illustration of the production of trimetal sulphide thin films.

Fig.2 The crystal structure of prepared metal sulphide explored through (a) XRD, (b) analysis on Williamson?Hall plot of 4sinθ versus βcosθ, (c) optical band gap investigation inset UV?vis absorbance plot, and (d) FTIR for the characterization functional groups (MS refers to metal sulfide).

Fig.3 Structure of the synthesized trimetal sulphide composite through SEM examination at various resolutions.

Fig.4 XPS results of the sample for (a) survey scan, (b) Cu 2p, (c) Zn 2p, (d) Ni 2p, and (e) S 2p.

Fig.5 Investigation on the electrochemical performance of the ternary metal sulphide electrode: (a) cyclic voltammogram obtained at a scan rate of 100 mV·s^?1 (inset image: zoomed in image of CV peaks indicating the reduction in the current density from the first cycle to the last cycle); (b) LSV curve; (c) long-term cycling stability performance.

Fig.6 (a)(d)(g) UV absorbance spectra, (b)(e)(h) degradation ratios, and (c)(f)(i) degradation kinetics of the MR dye (upper panels), isopyrazam (middle panels), and phenol (bottom panels).

Fig.7 (a) Relative degradation of all pollutants. (b) Four consecutive cycles for the photocatalytic degradation of pollutants.

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