In this study, we have synthesized C-60 and C-70-modified TiO2 nanowire (NW) through interfacial chemical bonding. The results indicate that the fullerenes (C-60 and C-70 derivatives) can act as sinks for photo-generated electrons in TiO2, while the fullerene/TiO2 is illuminated under ultraviolet (UV) light. Therefore, in comparison to the pure TiO2 NWs, the modified TiO2 NWs display a higher photocatalytic activity under UV irradiation. Moreover, the fullerenes also can function as a sensitizer to TiO2 which expand the utilization of solar light from UV to visible light. The results reveal that the C-70/TiO2 NWs show a significant photocatalytic activity for degradation of methylene blue (MB) in visible light region. To better understand the mechanism responsible for the effect of fullerenes on the photocatalytic properties of TiO2, the electron only devices and photoelectrochemical cells based on fullerenes/TiO2 are also fabricated and evaluated. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.