Efficient sonication-assisted catalytic degradation of methylene blue dye using CuS/ZnS/SnS ternary sulfide nanocomposite

In this study, a ternary CuS/ZnS/SnS nanocomposite was synthesized via simultaneous coprecipitation and hydrothermal reduction, considering its cost-effectiveness and ease of synthesis. The CuS/ZnS/SnS composite was employed for sonication-assisted catalytic degradation of methylene blue (MB) dye, using a working solution containing MB solution, H₂O₂, and catalyst material, demonstrating a degradation efficiency of 78.47 % after 40 min. This result surpassed the individual degradation efficiencies of CuS (69.35 %), ZnS (10.99 %), and SnS (2.30 %) over the same period. The sonocatalytic degradation rates of CuS/ZnS/SnS were determined to be 8.75 × 10⁻³ min⁻¹ and 2.17 × 10⁻² min⁻¹, indicating biphasic kinetics. The CuS/ZnS/SnS catalyst exhibited better stability even after the third cycle of degradation (69.79 %). This enhanced performance is attributed to improved charge separation and synergistic effects between the trimetallic sulfide heterostructures, suggesting that the CuS/ZnS/SnS nanocomposite is a promising and reliable catalyst for sonication-assisted catalytic degradation of MB dye.