The Effect of the Gaseous Environment on the Electrical Conductivity of Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotube Films over a Wide Temperature Range.

Dawid Janas,Krzysztof K Koziol

doi:10.3390/ma13030510

Abstract

The surrounding gas atmosphere can have a significant influence on the electrical properties of multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) ensembles. In this study, we subjected CNT films to various gaseous environments or vacuum to observe how such factors alter the electrical resistance of networks at high temperatures. We showed that the removal of adsorbed water and other contaminants from the surface under reduced pressure significantly affects the electrical conductivity of the material. We also demonstrated that exposing the CNT films to the hydrogen atmosphere (as compared to a selection of gases of inert and oxidizing character) at elevated temperatures results in a notable reduction of electrical resistance. We believe that the observed sensitivity of the electrical properties of the CNT films to hydrogen or vacuum at elevated temperatures could be of practical importance.

Highlights

The discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in 1991 [1] brought a new player into the field of engineering able to surpass many technological limitations of classical materials
To get to know how various regimes of vacuum affect the conductivity of the CNT films, we measured their electrical properties at diminished pressure
The surrounding gas atmosphere can make a significant impact on the electrical conductivity of multi-walled CNT ensembles

Summary

Introduction

The discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in 1991 [1] brought a new player into the field of engineering able to surpass many technological limitations of classical materials. Solid medium [13,14] and further research advances have eventually led to the creation of real-life scale CNT applications such as heaters [15], cloaking systems [16] or hologram emitters [17]. These 1D conductors have revealed that their electronic character is quite sensitive. Since a wide spectrum of processes in the industry takes place at elevated temperatures, it is of high importance to develop sensors able to work under non-standard conditions

Methods

Results

Conclusion