Swift modification of resistively heated carbon nanotube films by the action of hydrogen peroxide

Abstract

We have developed a benign technique for the modification of electrical and structural properties of horizontally aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) films. The as-made CNT films were immersed in 30%wt aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide whilst current was passed through the nanotube bundles to bring the temperature of CNTs up to 200°C. Depending on the employed conditions, we either successfully removed extraneous material contaminating CNT films and decreased its resistance by 40% or initiated the introduction of functional groups. The whole process lasted only for 1min and was more straightforward, less expensive and more ecologically friendly than the current post-processing technologies. We imagine that such a method of tweaking up electrical and/or structural properties could be successfully employed to a range of nanomaterials with a particular focus on carbon C-sp2 nanostructures.