Many　studies　have　shown　that　both　carbon　nanotubes　(CNTs)　and　graphene　are　important　broadband　nonlinear　optical　(NLO)　and　optical　limiting　(OL)　materials.　As　hybrids　of　CNTs　and　graphene,　partially　unzipped　carbon　nanotubes　(PUCNTs)　can　be　expected　to　exhibit　superior　NLO　and　OL　effects.　In　this　work,　PUCNTs　were　obtained　through　lengthwise　cutting　and　unraveling　of　multi-walled　carbon　nanotubes.　The　structure　and　component　of　PUCNTs　were　confirmed　by　transmission　electron　microscopy,　scanning　electron　microscopy,　powder　X-ray　diffraction,　Fourier-transform　infrared　and　Raman　spectra.　NLO　and　OL　properties　were　investigated　by　the　Z-scan　technique　at　both　532　and　1064　nm　in　the　nanosecond　regime,　in　comparison　with　CNTs　and　graphene.　A　remarkable　enhancement　was　observed,　which　can　be　attributed　to　the　synergistic　effect　of　nonlinear　scattering　and　nonlinear　absorption.　©　The　Royal　Society　of　Chemistry.