Converting CoS-TEA hybrid compound to CoS defective ultrathin nanosheets and their enhanced photocatalytic property

CoS ultrathin nanosheets with thickness of about 4.6 nm had been obtained through in-situ generated inorganic-organic hybrid CoS-TEA (TEA = triethanolamine) as self-sacrificial precursors. More importantly, defective ultrathin CoS nanosheets showed the boosted and faster visible light photocatalytic property i.e. 97.34% degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) in 80 min as compared to CoS nanoplates prepared under the similar condition and the previous report. In addition, the enhanced photocatalytic activity originated from prolonged lifetime of photoinduced electron–hole pairs and faster interfacial charge transfer and RhB dye photodegradation reaction pathway has been revealed using photoelectrochemical and optical techniques.