Multiwalled carbon nanotubes covalently functionalized with poly(N‐vinylcarbazole) via RAFT polymerization: Synthesis and nonliner optical properties

Abstract

The poly(N-vinylcarbazole)-grafted MWNTs (MWNT-PVK) hybrid materials were synthesized in the presence of S-1-Dodecyl-S 0 -(a, a 0 -dimethyl-a 00 -acetic acid) trithiocarbonate (DDAT)-covalently functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT-DDAT) as reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) agent. Incorporation of the PVK moieties onto the MWNTs surface can considerably improve the solubility and processability of MWNTs. For all MWNT-PVK hybrid materials, they are soluble in some common organic solvents such as toluene, THF, chloroform, DMF and others. In contrast to the UV/Vis spectrum of DDAT-PVK, which was synthesized by use of DDAT as RAFT agent under the same synthetic condition, in the visible region, the absorption spectrum of MWNT-PVK exhibited a typical electronic absorption characteristics of solubilized carbon nanotubes, in which the ab-sorbance decreases gradually in the range of 350-600 nm. At the same level of linear transmission the MWNT-PVK with 79.2% PVK moieties in the material structure possesses best optical limiting performance in comparison with the other MWNT-PVK composites, MWNTs and C 60 . The significant NLO responses manifest the MWNT-PVK materials suitable candidate for viable optical limiting devices. Light scattering, originating from the thermalinduced microplasmas and/or microbubbles, is responsible for the optical limiting. V C 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 48: 3161-3168, 2010

In situsynthesis and optical limiting response of poly(N-vinylcarbazole) functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes

“…As shown in figure 1, the pure PVK is essentially transparent at wavelengths longer than 350 nm [6,15,29,30], while the SWNT-PVK has a new structure in the absorption spectrum in which the peaks centered at 398, 426, and 453 nm can be logically ascribed to charge-transfer (CT) peaks due to the possible inter-and intramolecular charge transfer in the system [15].…”

“…polymer matrices, ceramics, and metals to form CNT composites [1][2][3][4]. Many efforts have currently been invested into the research of polymer/carbon nanotube composites in an attempt to allow for the fabrication of films required for the use of nanotubes in a real optical limiting application [5][6][7][8]. Optical limiting is an important application of nonlinear optics, useful for the protection of human eyes, optical elements and optical sensors from intense laser pulses.…”

Functional polyacetylenes: hybrids with carbon nanotubes

“…6. The strategy has been applied to versatile nanohybrids, including the preparation of a nanohybrid of covalently functionalized MWNTs with poly(N-vinyl carbazole) (PVK) via RAFT polymerization, 68 the facile preparation of PVK and MWNTs solution and conjugated polymer network nanocomposite lm, 69 and the in situ synthesis of PVK-functionalized SWNTs with enhanced optical limiting properties. 70 More recently, this strategy has been extended to graphene-based hybrid systems.…”

Novel Complex Polymers with Carbazole Functionality by Controlled Radical Polymerization

“…The poly(NVC)-grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes hybrid materials were synthesized by RAFT polymerization of NVC in the presence of a trithiocarbonate-type CTA functionalized covalently onto multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Scheme 15) [116]. Incorporation of poly(NVC) onto the surfaces of the multiwalled carbon nanotubes can considerably improve their solubility and processability.…”