Structural stability of transparent conducting films assembled from length purified single-wall carbon nanotubes

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2011 · Journal of Physical Chemistry C

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jp200250j· OSTI ID:1015589

Harris, J M ^[1]; S Iyer, G R; Simien, D O; Fagan, J A; Huh, J Y; Chung, J Y; Hudson, S D; Obrzut, J; Douglas, J F; Stafford, C M; Hobbie, E K

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1. North Dakota State University

Single-wall carbon nanotube (SWCNT) films show significant promise for transparent electronics applications that demand mechanical flexibility, but durability remains an outstanding issue. In this work, thin membranes of length purified single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are uniaxially and isotropically compressed by depositing them on prestrained polymer substrates. Upon release of the strain, the topography, microstructure, and conductivity of the films are characterized using a combination of optical/fluorescence microscopy, light scattering, force microscopy, electron microscopy, and impedance spectroscopy. Above a critical surface mass density, films assembled from nanotubes of well-defined length exhibit a strongly nonlinear mechanical response. The measured strain dependence reveals a dramatic softening that occurs through an alignment of the SWCNTs normal to the direction of prestrain, which at small strains is also apparent as an anisotropic increase in sheet resistance along the same direction. At higher strains, the membrane conductivities increase due to a compression-induced restoration of conductive pathways. Our measurements reveal the fundamental mode of elasto-plastic deformation in these films and suggest how it might be suppressed.

• Research Organization: North Dakota State University
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EE)
• DOE Contract Number: FG36-08GO88160
• OSTI ID: 1015589
• Report Number(s): DOE/GO/88160-33
• Journal Information: Journal of Physical Chemistry C, Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry C Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 115; ISSN 1932-7447
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
ALIGNMENT
CARBON
DEFORMATION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FLEXIBILITY
IMPEDANCE
LIGHT SCATTERING
MEMBRANES
MICROSCOPY
MICROSTRUCTURE
NANOTUBES
POLYMERS
SPECTROSCOPY
STABILITY
STRAINS
SUBSTRATES
TOPOGRAPHY