Transparent conductive single-walled carbon nanotube networks with precisely tunable ratios of semiconducting and metallic nanotubes

ACS Nano. 2008 Jun;2(6):1266-74. doi: 10.1021/nn800200d.

Abstract

We present a comprehensive study of the optical and electrical properties of transparent conductive films made from precisely tuned ratios of metallic and semiconducting single-wall carbon nanotubes. The conductivity and transparency of the SWNT films are controlled by an interplay between localized and delocalized carriers, as determined by the SWNT electronic structure, tube-tube junctions, and intentional and unintentional redox dopants. The results suggest that the main resistance in the SWNT thin films is the resistance associated with tube-tube junctions. Redox dopants are found to increase the delocalized carrier density and transmission probability through intertube junctions more effectively for semiconductor-enriched films than for metal-enriched films. As a result, redox-doped semiconductor-enriched films are more conductive than either intrinsic or redox-doped metal-enriched films.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Computer Simulation
  • Crystallization / methods*
  • Electric Conductivity
  • Macromolecular Substances / chemistry
  • Materials Testing
  • Metals / chemistry*
  • Models, Chemical*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Nanotechnology / methods*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / chemistry*
  • Nanotubes, Carbon / ultrastructure*
  • Particle Size
  • Refractometry
  • Semiconductors*
  • Surface Properties

Substances

  • Macromolecular Substances
  • Metals
  • Nanotubes, Carbon