Fabrication of flexible, transparent and conductive films from single-walled carbon nanotubes with high aspect ratio using poly((furfuryl methacrylate)-co-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)) as a new polymeric dispersant

Abstract

We synthesized poly((furfuryl methacrylate)-co-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate)) (p(FMA-co-DMAEMA)) for the dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) while maintaining their high aspect ratios. The nanotubes’ length and height were 2.0 μm and 2 nm, as determined by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, respectively. Transparent conductive films (TCFs) were fabricated by individually dispersed long SWCNTs onto a flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate. The sheet resistance (R_s) was 210 Ω □⁻¹ with 81% transmittance at a wavelength of 550 nm. To reduce their R_s, the TCFs were treated with HNO₃ and SOCl₂. After treatment, the TCFs had an R_s of 85.75 Ω □⁻¹ at a transmittance of 85%. The TCFs exhibited no appreciable change over 200 repeated bending cycles. Dispersing SWCNTs with this newly synthesized polymer is an effective way to fabricate a transparent, highly conductive and flexible film.