Improved electrical conductivity of a non-covalently dispersed graphene-carbon nanotube film by chemical p-type doping

Using a high-pressure air spray we developed a method to deposit electrically-conducting thin films consisting of non-covalently dispersed graphene and carbon nanotubes. The graphene-carbon nanotube film was immersed in a nitric acid and followed by exposure to fuming nitric acid. The acid treatment induced an increased concentration of atomic nitrogen on the graphene basal plane and carbon nanotube sidewall. This result indicates chemical p-type doping of the graphene oxide-carbon nanotube film. After the two acid treatments, the spray coated graphene oxide-carbon nanotube films on a glass substrate exhibit a low sheet resistance of 171 Omega/sq, and a high transmittance of 84% at a wavelength of 550 nm. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.