Organically modified carbon nanotube thin films for electronic applications

Owing to their highly efficient electron transport, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have practical applications in clean energy production and energy storage including solar cells, batteries, and supercapacitors. Many of these CNT applications have not yet been commercialized because limited water processability of the CNTs results in aggregation and poor electrical performance. We have functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with carboxylic acid, hydroxyl, and amine groups and synthesized stable colloidal CNT inks containing dispersing agents including Laponite^TM nanoparticles and surfactants. These nanocomposite inks were drop-cast on conductive glass coated polymer substrates to fabricate nanocomposite thin films. The influences of CNT functionalization and the addition of dispersing agents on film surface morphologies were studied using tapping mode atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Conductive atomic force microscopy analyses were conducted to determine the optimal electrical conductivity within CNT thin films. Combining organically modified SWCNTs and dispersing agents has proven to be a promising method to improve SWCNTs’ water processability and electrical conductivity.