Oxidised carbon nanotubes as dual-domain synergetic stabilizers in electroconductive carbon nanotube flexible coatings

Abstract

We report that combining oxidised carbon nanotubes (O-CNTs) and pristine CNTs may be the answer for more electroconductive composites. Short (<1 μm) oxidised multi-wall CNTs (O-MWCNTs) acted as an unobvious and excellent conductivity enhancer in MWCNT-based composite thin films. ‘Blending’ O-MWCNTs (1.5 wt%) with 250 μm-long MWCNTs (98.5 wt%), both of well-defined morphology and physicochemistry, led to a 3- and 26-fold increase in specific conductivity as compared to purely MWCNT- or purely O-MWCNT-based thin films, respectively. We explain the enhanced conductivity by the effect of a dual-domain structure of O-MWCNTs. The scale-up method, i.e. screen-printing, opens a route to application in textronics (i.e. electrical and electronic textiles) and hence targets for medicine, civil/military engineering, wellness, etc.