Synthesis of Nanoporous Structured SnO2 and its Photocatalytic Ability for Bisphenol A Destruction

Nanoporous structured tin dioxide ($SnO_2$) is characterized and its application in the photocatalytic destruction of endocrine, Bisphenol A, is examined. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals irregularly shaped nanopores of size 2.0-4.5 nm. This corresponds to the result of an average nanopore distribution of 4.5 nm, as determined by Barret-Joyner-Halenda (BJH) plot from the isotherm curve. The photoluminescence (PL) curve, corresponding to the recombination between electron and hole, largely decreases in the $TiO_2$/nanoporous $SnO_2$ composite. Finally, a synergy effect between $TiO_2$ and porous $SnO_2$ is exhibited in photocatalysis: the photocatalytic destruction of Bisphenol A is improved by combining the nanoporous structured $SnO_2$ with $TiO_2$, and 75% decomposition of 10.0 ppm of Bisphenol A is achieved after 24 h.