Preparation of C-60 Nanowhiskers/WO3 Nanocomposites and Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Dyes

C-60 nanowhiskers were synthesized from C-60 by liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation (LLIP) using C-60-saturated toluene and isopropyl alcohol. The WO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by adding 3.8 x 10(-4) mole amount of ammonium metatungstate hydrate (H26N6O40W12 center dot H2O) to 500 ml of distilled water, and the resulting solution was heated on a hot plate for 4 h. The C-60 nanowhiskers/WO3 nanocomposites were prepared with C60 nanowhiskers and WO3 nanoparticles in an electric furnace at 700 degrees C in an argon gas atmosphere for 2 h. The C-60 nanowhiskers/WO3 nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. UV-vis spectroscopy was used to evaluate the performance of the C-60 nanowhiskers/WO3 nanocomposites as a photocatalyst in the degradation of organic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB) and brilliant green (BG) under ultraviolet light (254 nm).