Graphene Platelets as Morphology Tailoring Additive in Carbon Nanotube Transparent and Flexible Electrodes for Heating Applications

Abstract

Flexible and transparent electrodes were fabricated with spray coating technique from paints based on multiwalled carbon nanotubes with the addition of graphene platelets. The work presents the influence of graphene platelets on the paints rheology and layers morphology, which has a strong connection to the electrooptical parameters of the electrodes. The paints rheology affects the atomization during spray coating and later the leveling of the coating on the substrate. Both technological aspects shape the morphology of the electrode and the distribution of nanoparticles in the coating. All these factors influence the sheet resistance and roughness, which is linked to the optical transmission and absorbance. In our research the electrode was applied as a transparent and elastic heating element with 68% optical transmission at 550 nm wavelength and 8.4 kΩ/□ sheet resistance. The elastic heating element was tested with a thermal camera at the 3 diverse supply voltages −20, 30, and 60 VDC. The test successfully confirmed and supported our proposed uses of elaborated electrodes.

Structural and Optical Properties of Spray Coated Carbon Hybrid Materials Applied to Transparent and Flexible Electrodes

“…Profilometer measurements showed that the thickness of prepared samples was quite similar (between 520 nm and 640 nm), but the slight difference between the roughness of the sample with the highest amount of graphene platelets and the other samples was observed. It is caused by the fact that graphene platelets used in the experiment had relatively big diameters, between 2 m and 25 m, and they usually are not coplanar with their surface to the substrate, what we have described in our previous research [39]. The samples had also similar sheet resistance which is presented in Table 2.…”

“…the lowest amount of CNT agglomerates. In our previous results we have observed that carbon nanotubes are stretched by the graphene platelets along the surface; thus the layer is more homogeneous [39]. Unfortunately in the same time several graphene platelets are not tangential with all their surface to the substrate, which can cause higher roughness and refraction.…”

Spun Carbon Nanotube Fibres and Films as an Alternative to Printed Electronic Components

“…These devices would, in many cases, be impossible to produce using classical electronics as they include flexible, stretchable or transparent electrodes, antennas and displays. Additionally, these materials allow the construction of specialized components, such as structural electronic elements that can be used in both the automotive and aerospace industries as well as components for the use in the smart textiles area [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]. The solutions offered by printed electronics can improve both the functionality and reliability, while significantly decreasing the weight, size and cost of many of the systems and devices.…”

Investigations of Printed Flexible pH Sensing Materials Based on Graphene Platelets and Submicron RuO2Powders

“…Thanks to novel materials suitable for electronics there are vast possibilities of fabrication of functional printings, such as conductive [9], resistive [10], dielectric [11], or sensitive layers [12]. Those printable materials may be used for fabrication of electronic elements, such as conductive paths [13], antennas [14], capacitors [15], resistors [16], heaters [17], light sources [18], or diverse sensors [19].…”