Study on the preparation of multi-walled carbon nanotube/phthalocyanine composites and their optical limiting effects

Abstract

In this article, multi-walled carbon nanotubes were noncovalently functionalized with different metal phthalocyanines by π–π stacking method. Multi-walled carbon nanotubes were dispersed by sonication into the phthalocyanines solution in chloroform or N, N-dimethyl formamide before refined purification by centrifugation. It could be observed that the metal phthalocyanine molecules adhered to the surface of multi-walled carbon nanotubes in the transmission electron microscopy images. These composites were characterized by thermo gravimetric analysis and UV/Vis absorption spectrum. The optical limiting responses of these composites in N, N-dimethyl formamide solution were studied by Q-switched Nd:YAG laser instrument with nanosecond pulse of 1064 nm and repetition rate of 10 Hz. It was noted that the optical limiting ability of these composites solution was stronger than that of multi-walled carbon nanotubes or phthalocyanine alone. In addition, carbon nanotube was commonly purified in concentrated nitric acid, which usually introduced carboxylic groups on the carbon nanotubes. Herein, the effect of introduced carboxylic groups in the nitric acid treatment on the π–π stacking was also studied based on thermogravimetric analysis of composite multi-walled carbon nanotube/copper phthlaocyanine.

Nonlinear Optical Materials for the Smart Filtering of Optical Radiation

“…Carbon nanotubes in combination with Pcs were also tested as OL materials. Several reports appeared on the synthesis and NLO properties of covalently functionalized single-walled nanotubes with metallophthalocyanines. − For instance, nanocomposite 703 (Chart ), constituted by unsymmetrically substituted metal-free phthalocyanines covalently functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes, was synthesized for OL studies . This material exhibited strong scattering at higher intensities, which clearly comes from the MWNT complement.…”

Noncovalent interactions of free-base phthalocyanine with elongated fullerenes as carbon nanotube models

“…. In the case of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) , the areas of particular interest include molecular photovoltaics and photoelectronic devices [18, 21-23, 27, 28, 33], nonlinear optical materials [38], catalysts for the oxygen reduction [19,20,31,34,36] and Li/SOCl 2 batteries [24], molecular spin-valves [40,41], electrochemical sensors [29,30,32,39], field-emission devices [37], and high-resistance advanced nanocomposites [35].…”

Size effects and improved optical limiting efficiency for carbon nanotube composites with a tetra(cyclotriphosphazene)-substituted phthalocyanine ligand

“…At the same time, they are prone to agglomeration, namely, the formation of bundles similar to bundles. The important factor is the usage of the various nanotubes modifications that can affect the nonlinear optical response 4,5 . To obtain stable dispersed media, ultrasonic treatment can be used.…”