Preparation and characterization of transparent and conductive thin films of single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), synthesized using the arc-discharge method and the direct-injection-pyrolytic synthesis (DIPS) method, were dispersed in a tetrahydrofuran solution containing propylamine and used to prepare transparent and conductive thin films on PET films using an airbrush technique. The SWNTs were analyzed using vis-near infrared absorption spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The surface resistivity of the SWNT films on the substrates was measured using a four-point probe conductivity measurement. The results revealed that the purity, length, and proportion of the metallic SWNTs are important factors in decreasing the sheet resistance.