• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.286-300
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• 2016

$MoS_2$ precursors were synthesized by reacting thioacetamide ($C_2H_5NS$) with sodium molybdate dihydrate ($Na_2MoO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$) in aqueous HCl solution. $MoS_2$ nanoparticles were prepared from dried $MoS_2$ precursors by calcination in an electric furnace at $700^{\circ}C$ for 2 h under an inert argon atmosphere. $MoS_2-C_{60}$ nanocomposites were obtained by heating $MoS_2$ nanoparticles and fullerene ($C_{60}$) together in an electric furnace at $700^{\circ}C$ for 2 h. Their morphological and the structural properties were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The $MoS_2$ nanoparticles and $MoS_2-C_{60}$ nanocomposites were used as catalysts in the reductions of 2-, 3-, and 4-nitrophenol in the presence of sodium borohydride. The photocatalytic activities of the $MoS_2$ nanoparticles and $MoS_2-C_{60}$ nanocomposites were evaluated in the degradation of organic dyes (brilliant green, methylene blue, methyl orange, and rhodamine B) under ultraviolet light (254 nm).