Transparent silica glasses containing single walled carbon nanotubes

Organic/inorganic matrix nanocomposites have been created using an acid catalyzed, tetraethyl orthosilicate-based sol-gel technique with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). By utilizing nanotubes functionalized with the dendron methyl 3,5-di(methyltrigycoloxy)benzylic alcohol (I-PEG), ultrasonic blending in the sol phase prior to gelation yields excellent dispersion characteristics of the nanotube phase. The glasses were densified by heating to 600 degreesC yielding 80% of theoretical density with little change in the optical appearance or behavior. These materials exhibited intrinsic Rayleigh scattering, suggesting near ideal dispersion. Nonlinear optical transmission was observed for 1064 and 532 nm light suggesting that the matrix has a strong broad band coupling to the optical field. Such composites allow for a host of applications based on the novel confinement properties of carbon nanotubes in a robust inorganic host. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.