Saturable Absorber of Polyimide Containing Dispersed Carbon Nanotubes

• US 20080258117A1
• Filed: 03/03/2005
• Published: 10/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Government of Japan)
• Original Assignee: National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (Government of Japan)
• Inventors: Kataura, Hiromichi, Tokumoto, Madoka, Sakakibara, Youichi
• Application Number:
  US10/599,386
• Publication Number:
  US 20080258117A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/582
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2379/08 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 3/215 at least one additive being also premixed with a liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 5/005 Reinforced macromolecular compounds with nanosized materials, e.g. nanoparticles, nanofibres, nanotubes, nanowires, nanorods or nanolayered materials
• CPC Class Codes: C08K 3/041 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 39/06 Homopolymers or copolymers of N-vinyl-pyrrolidones
• CPC Class Codes: C08L 79/08 Polyimides; Polyester-imides; Polyamide-imides; Polyamide acids or similar polyimide precursors

Abstract

A carbon nanotube-dispersed polyimide saturable absorber excellent in an optical quality, obtainable by mixing a carbon nanotube dispersion liquid comprising a carbon nanotube, an amide-based polar organic solvent, and a nonionic surfactant and/or a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with a mixture solution of a solvent soluble polyimide and an organic solvent. A method for producing the same, comprising the steps of dispersing a single-walled carbon nanotube in a mixture solution of an amide-based polar organic solvent and a nonionic surfactant under intensive stirring, mixing the resultant dispersion liquid with a polyimide mixed organic solvent, and removing the solvent.

Claims

1. A carbon nanotube-dispersed polyimide saturable absorber excellent in an optical quality, obtainable by mixing a carbon nanotube dispersion liquid comprising a carbon nanotube, an amide-based polar organic solvent, and a nonionic surfactant and/or a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with a mixture solution of a solvent soluble polyimide and an organic solvent.

2. The saturable absorber according to claim 1, wherein the carbon nanotube is a single-walled carbon nanotube.

3. The saturable absorber according to claim 1, where the amide-based polar organic solvent comprises N-methylpyrrolidone (NMP) and/or dimethylacetamide.

4. The saturable absorber according to claim 1, where the nonionic surfactant is a polyoxyethylene surfactant.

5. The saturable absorber according to claim 1, where the content of the nonionic surfactant is 0.005 to 5% by weight in the carbon nanotube dispersion liquid.

6. The saturable absorber according to claim 1, where the content of the polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is 0.1 to 10% by weight in the carbon nanotube dispersion liquid.

7. A carbon nanotube-dispersed polyimide saturable absorber, obtained by a method comprising the steps of:

mixing a carbon nanotube dispersion liquid comprising a carbon nanotube, an amide-based polar organic solvent, and a nonionic surfactant and/or a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) with a mixture solution of a solvent soluble polyimide and an organic solvent; and

removing the solvent.

9. The method for producing a saturable absorber according to claim 7, the obtained single-walled carbon nanotube dispersion liquid is treated with a filter having a retaining particle size of 0.1 to 3.0 μ

m to obtain a dispersion liquid comprising fine particles of the single-walled carbon nanotube.

8. A method for producing a saturable absorber, comprising the steps of:

dispersing a single-walled carbon nanotube in a mixture solution of an amide-based polar organic solvent and a nonionic surfactant under intensive stirring;

mixing the resultant dispersion liquid with a polyimide mixed organic solvent; and

removing the solvent.

10. A method for producing a saturable absorber, comprising the steps of:

dispersing a single-walled carbon nanotube in a mixture solution of an amide-based polar organic solvent and a nonionic surfactant under intensive stirring;

mixing a polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) therewith;

mixing the resultant dispersion liquid with a polyimide mixed organic solvent, and

removing the solvent.