Transparent conducting film: Effect of vacuum filtration of carbon nanotube suspended in oleum

Vacuum filtration process to fabricate a transparent conducting carbon nanotube (CNT) film is reported. A CNT mat, which is a fibrous sheet of long multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNT), was prepared and dispersed in oleum by solution-sonication. The suspension was then vacuum filtered to obtain a thin MWNT layer with improved dispersion. Sheet resistance of the obtained MWNT layer was increased despite the improved dispersion. SEM micrographs and energy dispersive spectroscopy results indicated that the increase of the sheet resistance could be attributed to degradation and oxidation of the MWNT bundles. Though the chemical approach in this study did not improve the electrical property of the CNT mat, a mechanical approach proposed in our recent work was deemed suitable to enhance optical and electrical properties of the CNT mat.