Preparation and optical limiting properties of a POSS-containing organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposite

A novel POSS-containing organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposite (P) was prepared by the Pt-catalyzed hydrosilylation reaction of octahydridosilsesquioxane (T-8(H)) with substituted acetylene, CH CCH2O-C6H4-COO-C6H4-p-N=N-C6H4-P-OCH3 (M). The hybrid nanocomposite was soluble in common solvents such as CHCl3, THF, toluene and C2H4Cl2. Its structure was characterized by FT-IR, H-1 NMR. and Si-29 NMR, respectively. Optical limiting property was evaluated by a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser system with a wavelength of 532 nm, 4 ns pulse width and a repetition of 1 Hz The result shows that the POSS-based organic-inorganic hybrid nanocomposite exhibits novel optical limiting property, well photo and high thermal stability (T-d, temperature for 5% weight loss, as high as 319 degrees C). The optical limiting property increases with the increase of solution concentration. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.