Synergistic CNT-SnS nanocomposites for enhanced photocatalytic dye degradation and supercapacitor applications

Tin sulfide (SnS) nanoparticles were synthesized by a co-precipitation method and combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to form an SnS-CNT nanocomposite with enhanced properties. Structural and morphological analyses confirmed successful heterostructure formation: XRD verified the crystalline phases, FE-SEM revealed uniform distribution, and HRTEM showed SnS nanoparticles with an average size of ~ 50 nm. UV-Vis and Raman spectroscopy further supported the electronic and vibrational features of the composite. The material exhibited dual functionality. Under visible-light irradiation, it achieved 96.97% degradation of methylene blue (MB) and 97.77% degradation of ciprofloxacin (CIP), facilitated by efficient charge separation and reactive oxygen species (•OH, •O₂⁻) generation. As a supercapacitor electrode, the composite delivered a specific capacitance of 1792 F g⁻ ¹ at 0.5 A g⁻ ¹, with > 80% retention after 5000 cycles. The enhanced performance is attributed to the synergistic role of CNTs as conductive scaffolds and SnS as active redox and light-absorbing sites. These results demonstrate the multifunctional potential of SnS-CNT nanocomposites for environmental and energy applications. The findings provide fundamental insights into heterostructure design principles and pave the way for developing next-generation hybrid materials for sustainable technologies.