Impact of thermal ramp rate on structural and photocatalytic properties of 3D flower-like MoS2 nanostructures

This study demonstrates the hydrothermal synthesis of 3D flower-like MoS 2 nanostructures by varying the heating ramp rate ranging from 1.5 to 5 °C/min. These nanostructures were evaluated for the adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB), Methylene Blue (MB), and Tetracycline (TC). Structural and optical properties were characterized using XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FESEM, UV–Vis–NIR spectrophotometry, and XPS. The BET technique assessed surface area, pore size, and volume. Notably, materials synthesized at the slowest heating rate (1.5 °C/min) exhibited superior performance, achieving 98 % degradation of RhB and MB, and 93 % for TC. High adsorption and photocatalytic efficiency were attributed to nanosheets' high density, large specific surface area, zeta potential, and suitable band gap. The study also analyzed the effects of dye concentration and catalyst dosage on RhB degradation, highlighting the synergistic effect of adsorption and photocatalysis in wastewater treatment.