Unique surface structure of nano-sized CuInS 2 anchored on rGO thin film and its superior photocatalytic activity in real wastewater treatment

Abstract Nano-sized CuInS 2 was evenly anchored on the thin film of reduced graphene oxide (rGO/CuInS 2 ) by a simple one-step solvothermal method. The photocatalytic activity of rGO/CuInS 2 was much higher than that of pure CuInS 2 , and was highly dependant on rGO amount with results revealing an optimal rGO content of 1 wt%. The 1% rGO/CuInS 2 composite demonstrated the highest visible-light photocatalytic activity with almost 90% 2-nitrophenol removal, which was almost two times of pure CuInS 2 . The enhanced photocatalytic activity of rGO/CuInS 2 is ascribed to that the ultrathin film structure of rGO endows rGO/CuInS 2 composites with a large density of exposed active sites to reactants, short transport distances of photogenerated charges and the efficient separation of charge carriers. Of special significance is that 1% rGO/CuInS 2 composite can effectively treat real pharmaceutical wastewater with 86.5% chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiency in 11 h. Moreover, there was no obvious decrease in the photocatalytic activity of rGO/CuInS 2 composites after four photocatalytic cycles. The high COD removal efficiency of pharmaceutical wastewater and reusability indicate the great potential of rGO/CuInS 2 in environmental purification of organic pollutants.