Optical-limiting effect of C60 bonded poly(N-vinylcarbazole) initiated with C60Cln/CuCl/Bpy catalyst system

C60 bonded poly(N-vinylcarbazole) (PVK) has been synthesized by C60Cln (the average value of n is 20; C60/C70=85:15)/CuCl/2,2′-bipyridine (Bpy) catalyst system. The molecular distribution curve determined by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with RI and UV dual detector and 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) of the C60–PVK verified that the polymerization mechanism was atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The optical-limiting properties of C60/C70–PVK and C60–PVK with different C60 content were measured via a nanosecond Nd:YAG pulse laser system at a wavelength of 532 nm. The experimental results demonstrated that the optical-limiting behavior of C60–PVK and C60/C70–PVK was better than that of C60Cln, C60/C70Cln and approached to pristine C60. The optical-limiting performance was improved upon the addition of increasing concentrations of C60 (C60/C70) in C60–PVK (C60/C70–PVK).