Fabrication and Characterization of Thin Films of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles on Flexible Plastic Substrates

Abstract

A convenient method to obtain patterns of films of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT) bundles on flexible plastic is described. Using the Line Patterning method SWNT films of thickness ranging from approximately 300-1500 nm can be obtained from aqueous surfactant-supported dispersions of chemically purified SWNT bundles synthesized by the pulsed-laser ablation method. These films are strongly adherent and are competitive in performance with commercially available films of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) on plastics. For example, an approximately 1500 thick film of SWNT on poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) shows a surface resisitvity of approximately 80 Omega/sq, optical transparency >80%, and robust flexibility. Unlike ITO/PET, films of SWNT/PET can be folded and bent to a crease without cracking. The simple techniques involoved in obtaining these films (i.e., those without requiring lithography or ink-jet printing) could help facilitate the rapid fabrication of transparent, flexible electronic devices, heralding what promises to be a new approach towards the development of next-generation optoelectronic devices.

Growth and Characterization of GaAs Nanowires on Carbon Nanotube Composite Films: Toward Flexible Nanodevices

“…From the I-V curve (square data points), SWNT films after being subjected to an annealing process revealed a sheet resistance of roughly 68 Ω/sq (resistivity of 6.81 × 10 -3 Ω·cm). This value is in agreement with SWNT composite film resistances previously reported 8,20,53 and is comparable to sheet resistances measured in commercial ITO films 8 . Rectification at high biases is attributed to Schottky barriers formed between the CNT film and probe tips 54 In summary, a novel material combination involving epitaxially grown GaAs…”

Laser Patterning of Carbon-Nanotubes Thin Films and Their Applications

“…Figure 4(d) shows the schematic of the filtration method and the SEM image of CNT film filtration on the nanofilter. (5) Imprint: This method involves printing CNT film with a standard office laser printer 50 , inkjet printer [51][52] or contact printer [53][54][55] . In a laser printer, CNT powder replaces the toner.…”

“…ITO film has been used as a universal electrode in various optoelectronic devices such as organic light emitting diodes, solar cells and liquid-crystal displays because of their high transmittance in the visible region and good electrical conductivity. However, not only are ITO films expensive, but their electric conductivity changes when they bend 43,48,50 . Transparent carbon nanotube thin film is highly conductive, it does not change when bent and its low cost make it very suitable for replacing ITO film in next generation products.…”

Functional flexible substrate in altering substitution phenylene core of fluorinated poly(arylene ether)s

“…In general, a good yield of PAE polymers could be achieved easily via the method of nucleophilic displacement of activated aromatic dihalides with bisphenolates. The leaving group is activated by electro-withdrawing substituent and has a site of un-saturation as through a Meisenheimer complex [11,12]. The synthetic process also provides a convenience to prepare the PAE compounds with demanded substituent and pendent, which strongly affected the physical property of PAEs polymer.…”