Optical limiting performance of two soluble multi-walled carbon nanotubes

The optical limiting properties of two polymer-bound multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MNWTs), poly(N-vinylcarbazole)-MWNTs (PVK-MWNTs) and polybutadiene-MWNTs (PB-MWNTs), were investigated using 532 nm nanosecond laser pulses. Both of them, especially PVK-MWNTs, showed much better optical limiting performance than that of C-60 in toluene solution. A nonlinear absorption mechanism was proposed and explanation was given on the interesting difference of the optical limiting properties of these two soluble MWNTs. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Chemistry, PhysicalPhysics, Atomic, Molecular & ChemicalSCI(E)0ARTICLE1-2201-20538