Optical, electrical and structural properties of argon (Ar) ion-irradiated buckypapers of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) at various doses prepared by a vacuum filtration method were investigated. It was found that the direct current (DC) conductivity and absorption spectra in the visible range were decreased with an increasing Ar ion irradiation dose. A subsequent heating of nanotube buckypapers at 800 K in a vacuum at each irradiation dose improved the conductivity of buckypapers, whereas optical absorption was unchanged. Moreover, the graphite structure of MWCNTs was transformed to amorphous structure with an increasing Ar ion irradiation dose. The decrease of optical absorption and electrical conductivity of MWCNT buckypaper at room temperature can be ascribed to the increase of defects in the irradiated MWCNTs.

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