Preparation of [C60]fullerene nanowhisker-silver nanoparticle composites and their catalytic activities for the oxidation of tetramethylbenzidine with hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

Trisodium citrate dihydrate (C6H5Na3O7·2H2O), sodium borohydride (NaBH4), cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB, (C16H33)N(CH3)3Br), ascorbic acid (C6H8O6), and silver nitrate (AgNO3) were mixed in distilled water, and the resulting solution was irradiated by ultrasonication for 3 h to obtain silver nanoparticles. Liquid-liquid interfacial precipitation was used to prepare [C60]fullerene nanowhisker-silver nanoparticle composites with C60-saturated toluene, the prepared silver nanoparticles solution, and isopropyl alcohol. X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the [C60]fullerene nanowhisker-silver nanoparticle composites. In the oxidative reaction of tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) with H2O2, the catalytic activity of [C60]fullerene nanowhisker-silver nanoparticle composites was validated by UV-vis spectroscopy.