@Article{CL.2024.214.335,
AUTHOR = {M. Boonkam, P. Tamdee, P. Tongying},
TITLE = {Facile hydrothermal synthesis of a multifunctional copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) nanoparticle-coated sepiolite fiber composite: structural characterization and photocatalytic properties},
JOURNAL = {Chalcogenide Letters},
VOLUME = {21},
YEAR = {2024},
NUMBER = {4},
PAGES = {335--342},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/CL/v21n4/65044},
ISSN = {1584-8663},
ABSTRACT = {This work presents a facile hydrothermal synthesis method for fabricating a multifunctional 
composite of copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) nanoparticles coated onto sepiolite fibers. 
Morphological analysis confirms the firm attachment of approximately 10 nm CZTS 
nanoparticles onto the sepiolite surface. Elemental analysis verifies the presence of 
constituent elements from both CZTS and sepiolite, with a slight deficiency in Cu and an 
abundance of Zn observed. The compositional formula of CZTS in the composite is 
estimated as Cu<sub>1.93</sub>Zn<sub>1.05</sub>Sn<sub>0.98</sub>S<sub>4.04</sub>. Notably, the material exhibits a narrow band gap of 1.5 
eV, enabling effective utilization of the entire visible light spectrum, making it promising 
for photocatalytic applications. BET nitrogen adsorption/desorption measurements reveal a 
substantial surface area of approximately 85.720 m<sup>2</sup>
/g, confirming the composite’s 
versatility and applicability, particularly in photocatalysis and adsorption processes. 
Additionally, X-ray diffraction analysis indicates reflections consistent with the crystal 
structures of kasterite CZTS and sepiolite, further confirming the composite’s composition. 
The multifunctional CZTS/Sepiolite composite demonstrates exceptional potential for 
simultaneous photocatalytic degradation and adsorption of organic pollutants, presenting a 
promising avenue for sustainable water treatment applications. },
DOI = {10.15251/CL.2024.214.335}
}