Ultrathin, flexible transparent Joule heater with fast response time based on single-walled carbon nanotubes/poly(vinyl alcohol) film

Abstract

Ultrathin flexible transparent film heaters (TFHs) with fast response time are fabricated by embedding single-wall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) into transparent poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) film using a green all-water based solution process. Typically, CNTs network was firstly constructed on the surface of commercial polycarbonate film by a continuous hot roll pressing and spraying technique. The obtained CNTs network was then transferred to the surface of ultrathin PVA film using a transfer spinning technique coupled with hot pressing approach. The resulting film not only shows well optical and electrical properties of 475 Ω/aq with a transmittance of 77.3%, but also exhibits strong interfacial adhesion (standing 100 repeated scratches with 3 M sticky tape) and good flexibility (allowing more than 1000 bending cycles). Very interestingly, the fabricated PVA/CNT TFHs presents a quick Joule heating effect with a very fast heating time and rate of 8 s and 11.4 °C/s, respectively, under low impressed voltage (<15 V). These results demonstrate that our TFH is therefore considered suitable for providing anti-fogging or de-icing in optics and optoelectronic devices, as well as for wearable heating systems.