Preparation of [C60]fullerene nanowhisker–cadmium sulfide nanoparticle composite and its photocatalytic activity for degradation of rhodamine B

Cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoparticles were synthesized from cadmium sulfate (CdSO4), sodium hydroxide (NaOH), and sodium sulfide (Na2S) dissolved into distilled water, and the resulting solution was refluxed for 5 h. The precipitate was collected by centrifugation and dried at 100 °C for 12 h to obtain solid state CdS nanoparticles. The CdS nanoparticle solution was prepared by dissolving powdered CdS nanoparticles in an aqueous solution with the surfactant polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP). The [C60]Fullerene nanowhisker–CdS nanoparticle composite was prepared by the liquid–liquid interfacial precipitation (LLIP) method using C60-saturated toluene, the CdS nanoparticle solution, and isopropyl alcohol. The product of the [C60]fullerene nanowhisker–CdS nanoparticle composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. The photocatalytic activity of the [C60]fullerene nanowhisker–CdS nanoparticle composite assessed through degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) was confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy.