Fabrication of Copper Sulphide through Single Source Precursors for Photocatalytic and Battery Applications

Abstract

In the present work CuS nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by using different novel copper thiourea complexes as a single source precursor. All of these have been characterized by PXRD, TEM, HRTEM, EDX and SAED. The CuS prepared with average of less than 30 nm has been confirmed. Photocatalytic activity is successfully performed under direct sunlight (outdoor lightening) against five different organic dyes which was monitored with the help of UV-visible spectroscopy. The results shows that synthesized nanoparticles are efficient photocatalyst. Except for methyl orange the degradation efficiency for all the dyes was achieved to be more than 80%. Battery applications are evaluated for 3NACuS by testing electrochemical discharge/charge at voltage limits of 1.8 −2.6 V versus Li/Li+.