Assistant professor

The aim of the project is to investigate a possibility of obtaining of nanostructures containing both tin(II) sulphide (SnS) and tin(IV) sulphide (SnS2) by the sonochemical method. Previous work allowed for determination of influence of sonochemical synthesis conditions on properties of obtained tin sulphides powders including determination of conditions permitting obtaining of nanostructures of SnS or SnS2 with size of 2-5 nm. The goal of the present object is to obtain nanostructures containing both compounds at the same time. For that purpose syntheses using mixture of tin(II) and tin(IV) chlorides are planned as well as syntheses using one of them along with previously prepared structures of corresponding sulphide (for example: SnCl2 and previously obtained SnS2). The mixed structures may show unique morphological and optical properties in comparison with single-compound structures. All samples will be characterized with advanced investigation methods: X-ray diffraction, XPS spectroscopy, FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, STEM and HRTEM electron microscopies, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry (the Tauc method). Obtained nanostructures will be utilized as photo- and sonocatalysts in the process of degradation of selected organic compounds and will be compared with single nanostructures in term of degradation efficiency.