• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.126-131
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• 2015

$C_{60}$ nanowhiskers were synthesized from $C_{60}$ by liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation (LLIP) using $C_{60}$-saturated toluene and isopropyl alcohol. The $WO_3$ nanoparticles were synthesized by adding $3.8{\times}10^{-4}$ mole amount of ammonium metatungstate hydrate ($H_{26}N_6O_{40}W_{12}{\cdot}H_2O$) to 500 ml of distilled water, and the resulting solution was heated on a hot plate for 4 h. The $C_{60}$ nanowhiskers/$WO_3$ nanocomposites were prepared with $C_{60}$ nanowhiskers and $WO_3$ nanoparticles in an electric furnace at $700^{\circ}C$ in an argon gas atmosphere for 2 h. The $C_{60}$ nanowhiskers/$WO_3$ 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/$WO_3$ nanocomposites as a photocatalyst in the degradation of organic dyes, such as methylene blue (MB) and brilliant green (BG) under ultraviolet light (254 nm).