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Flexible transparent conducting films (TCFs) with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have attracted more and more attention for their wide range of potential applications. While, there are still some problems to be solved on several aspects. In this study, a graphene oxide/carbon nanotube (GO/CNT) hybrid TCF was fabricated through the simple spray coating method. GO sheets were introduced to form new electron transporting channels. It was found that the best optoelectronic property films were fabricated when the ratio of GO/CNT is 1.5:1.0, which the sheet resistance of the film was found to be 146 Ω/sq at the transmittance of 86.0%. Due to the two-dimensional structure and the oxidation groups of GO sheets, flatness and wettability of the electrode surface was improved obviously. Adhesion factor of the TCFs was calculated by the change of transparent and sheet resistance after trial test, the addition of GO sheets enhanced the adhesion dramatically and the mechanism was analyzed. Improvements of conductivity, flatness, wettability and adhesion above are all advantageous for the solution-based processing of organic electronics for spraying and printing.

High purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were dispersed in water and transparent conducting films (TCFs) were fabricated by a spray coating. The produced uniform SWCNT–TCFs treated by nitric acid have a relatively low sheet resistance and high transmittance. The current–voltage (I–V) behaviors of the TCFs were measured at room to higher temperature during the heating or cooling process. It was found that the I–V behavior of TCFs strongly dependent on the temperature and applied voltage. The sheet resistance showed semiconductor behavior at low temperature and low voltage, while it showed metallic behavior at high temperature and high voltage.

This study introduced an innovative method to fabricate flexible transparent conducting films (TCFs) by spraying single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) solution, dispersed by sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate. The PET substrates were pretreated with nitric acid to improve the surface hydrophilicity. The films were spray deposited on the pretreated PET substrates in a two-step spray coating method. The film conductivity was further improved by nitric acid. As a convenient process, ultrasonication resonance method was applied to test the adhesion of TCFs. Comparing with the traditional preparation method, the adhesion of TCFs was enhanced and the mechanism was analyzed. The morphologies and thicknesses of TCFs were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, while the Raman spectroscopy confirmed the structures of SWCNTs and the thickness changes of TCFs treated with different ultrasonication time.

a b s t r a c t This study evaluated the effect of sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS) as dispersant for the dispersion of purified single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) in water in terms of dispersibility dependence on electrical conductivity of SWCNT transparent conducting film (TCF) performance. SWCNT TCFs were prepared by different proportions of CNTs/SDBS solution to find out the optimum SDBS concentration according to the film resistance of pristine and after post-treatment by nitric acid. TCFs fabricated with the aqueous solution by the ratio of CNTs/SDBS 1:5 gave the lowest sheet resistance and the highest transmittance. The TCFs were then further treated with thionyl chloride to improve their conductivity. Low sheet resistance (86 /, 80%T) was achieved. The dispersion condition of CNTs/SDBS aqueous solution was characterized by field-emission scanning electron microscopy, while the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy confirmed the dispersion and doping mechanism treated with nitric acid and thionyl chloride.