Low-Temperature Solution Processing of Graphene−Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Materials for High-Performance Transparent Conductors

Abstract

We report the formation of a nanocomposite comprised of chemically converted graphene and carbon nanotubes. Our solution-based method does not require surfactants, thus preserving the intrinsic electronic and mechanical properties of both components, delivering 240 Ω/0 at 86% transmittance. This low-temperature process is completely compatible with flexible substrates and does not require a sophisticated transfer process. We believe that this technology is inexpensive, is massively scalable, and does not suffer from several shortcomings of indium tin oxide. A proof-of-concept application in a polymer solar cell with power conversion efficiency of 0.85% is demonstrated. Preliminary experiments in chemical doping are presented and show that optimization of this material is not limited to improvements in layer morphology.

Graphene photonics and optoelectronics

“…Dispersions of graphite intercalated compounds (GIC) 92 and hybrid nanocomposites (GO sheets mixed with silica sols or CNTs 93 ) were also attempted, with a minimum R s = 240Ω/ for T=86% 93 . Graphene films produced by chemical synthesis, currently show R s = 1.6kΩ/ for T=55% 68 .…”

High electrical conductance enhancement in Au-nanoparticle decorated sparse single-wall carbon nanotube networks

“…Many attempts have been made to optimise the room temperature conductance of nanotube networks by the chemical doping and hybridization with a host network of guest components by various methods, including acid treatment [11,12], decoration by metal nanoparticles [3,13], production of conducting polymer composite films [14] and graphene-SWNT networks [15].…”

Optically Transparent Nano-Patterned Antennas: A Review and Future Directions

“…Most of the CNT film electrodes mass-produced at present show a sheet resistance (Rs) of about 200-500 Ω/sq and an optical transmittance (T) of 80%. So, to use CNT film as an antenna in microwave frequencies, it is necessary to study a composite material composed of two or more materials in order to compensate for the disadvantages while maintaining the advantages of one material [13,14], such as spin coating In Reference [12], an MWCNT-based microstrip patch antenna operating at diverse frequencies is proposed. A conductive MWCNT ink-jet printing process is used to pattern patch antennas in two dimensions (10 mm × 10 mm and 20 mm × 20 mm) with three different substrates (RO3210, CCFR4, and TMM4).…”

“…Most of the CNT film electrodes mass-produced at present show a sheet resistance (R s ) of about 200-500 Ω/sq and an optical transmittance (T) of 80%. So, to use CNT film as an antenna in microwave frequencies, it is necessary to study a composite material composed of two or more materials in order to compensate for the disadvantages while maintaining the advantages of one material [13,14], such as spin coating base graphene/SWCNT (R s = 280 Ω/sq, T = 90%, FoM = 12.4) [15]. Therefore, the development of transparent antennas using nano carbon is expected to be required for the electrical performance improvement of the aforementioned TCFs.…”