Fullerenes are wonder molecules that possess a range of exotic properties such as superconductivity, ferromagnetism, anti-HIV bioactivity and optical limiting effects. Synthesis of functionalized fullerene derivatives, polymers, and glasses is of great interest from viewpoints of both basic research and practical applications. We envision that fullerene materials may exhibit novel optical properties because of their intriguing three-dimensional conjugated molecular structures. In this study, we have synthesised a range of new fullerene materials and investigated their optical properties. _{60 60 60}...[ Read more ]

Fullerenes are wonder molecules that possess a range of exotic properties such as superconductivity, ferromagnetism, anti-HIV bioactivity and optical limiting effects. Synthesis of functionalized fullerene derivatives, polymers, and glasses is of great interest from viewpoints of both basic research and practical applications. We envision that fullerene materials may exhibit novel optical properties because of their intriguing three-dimensional conjugated molecular structures. In this study, we have synthesised a range of new fullerene materials and investigated their optical properties.

We have successfully integrated C₆₀ into solid matrixes of inorganic glasses and optical polymers through covalent bonding. We functionalized C₆₀ by amination and then chemically incorporated C₆₀ into a silica host using a sol-gel reaction. For C₆₀-containing optical polymers, Several methods including free radical polymerization, Friedel-Crafts reaction, thermolysis and photolysis reactions were used to chemically incorporate C₆₀ into PMMA, PS, PVC, PC and CR-39. All the C₆₀-containing glasses and polymer films are morphologically homogenous with high optical quality and exhibit excellent optical limiting characteristics.

Although C₆₀ itself transmits light as normal as a common compound, surprisingly we have found that C₆₀-containing glasses and optical polymers exhibit "abnormal" transmission characteristics. We can use the fullerene materials to cut off light of specific wavelengths over almost entire ultraviolet and visible spectral range by simply changing their C₆₀ contents. The phenomenon is truly unusual, which can hardly be predicted from classical Beer's law. Since generation of light with precisely defined spectral characteristics is of fundamental importance, the novel light transmission property of the fullerene materials may find a wide variety of applications in the optical industry.