Structure-dependent performance of single-walled carbon nanotube films in transparent and conductive applications

We investigate a complex relationship between structural parameters of single-walled carbon nanotubes (namely, mean length, diameter, and defectiveness) and optoelectrical properties (equivalent sheet resistance) of thin films composed of the nanotubes. We obtained a systematic dataset describing the influence of CO2 concentration and growth temperature. On the basis of the experimental results, we prove the high Raman peak ratio (I-G/I-D), length, and diameter of the nanotubes to decrease the equivalent sheet resistance of the nanotube-based film. The approach employed highlights the change in the nanotube growth mechanism at the temperature coinciding with the phase transition between alpha-Fe and gamma-Fe catalyst phases. We believe this work to be of high interest for researchers working not only in the field of transparent and conductive films based on nanocarbons, but also for those who reveals the fundamentals of the nanotube growth mechanism. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.