Synthesis of new ZnS-Bipy based hybrid organic-inorganic materials for photocatalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

ZnS and ZnS-Bipy (4,4-bipyridine) hybrid based organic-inorganic materials are easily synthesized using solvothermal methods, and their structural, optical and morphological properties are characterized by FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, UV-vis spectroscopy, nitrogen physisorption and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The newly synthesized materials are tested as catalysts in the photocatalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol using Na₂SO₃ as hole scavengers, under UV light irradiation. ZnS-Bipy hybrid organic-inorganic materials show a high performance in the photocatalytic activity. In contrast, for non-hybrid cubic ZnS, performance is lower in comparison and also is unable to complete the whole photoreduction reaction. The high bipy contents linked to cubic ZnS surface induce changes in the electronic-optical, steric and textural properties in the new resultant hybrid materials.