Highly Transparent and Flexible Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube–Polyimide Films with Enhanced Electrical Performance as Promising Electrodes

Abstract

Transparent and light films with high electrical conductivity are preferred for flexible electronic applications. Here, a film exhibiting high transparency, electrical conductivity, and flexibility is produced using a polyimide (PI) substrate and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) through spray coating. Cost-effective MWCNTs are used instead of other electrically conductive materials, including silver nanowire ink, single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), and other carbon materials. The average sheet resistance of the prepared MWCNT–PI film is 520.2 Ω □⁻¹ (infinite for the bare PI film), which is lower than the sheet resistances of the SWCNT–PI film reported by another group. This can be attributed to the increase in electrical conductivity of the highly transparent PI film due to the use of MWCNTs. The transparency of the MWCNT–PI film is 71.834% at 550 nm. When MWCNTs and PI are combined, MWCNTs protrude from the surface of the PI film, creating networks and increasing electrical conductivity. Atomic force microscopy analysis reveals that MWCNT networks form on the surface of the MWCNT–PI film. This study suggests the possibility that MWCNTs can also be used as carbon materials for flexible and highly transparent films.