Xin Zhao et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 065605 doi:10.1088/0957-4484/20/6/065605
Xin Zhao1,4, Bryan T T Chu1, Belén Ballesteros2, Weiliang Wang3, Colin Johnston1, John M Sykes1 and Patrick S Grant1
Show affiliationsSteam purified, carboxylic and ester functionalized single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) and multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWNT) films with homogeneous distribution and flexible control of thickness and area were fabricated on polymeric and metallic substrates using a modified spray deposition technique. By employing a pre-sprayed polyelectrolyte, the adhesion of the carbon nanotube (CNT) films to the substrates was significantly enhanced by electrostatic interaction. Carboxylic and ester functionalization improved electrochemical performance when immersed in 0.1 M H2SO4 and the specific capacitance reached 155 and 77 F g−1 for carboxylic functionalized SWNT and MWNT films respectively. Compared with existing techniques such as hot pressing, vacuum filtration and dip coating, the ambient pressure spray deposition technique is suggested as particularly well suited for preparing CNT films at large scale for applications including providing electrodes for electrochemical supercapacitors and paper batteries.
81.16.-c Methods of nanofabrication and processing
81.15.Rs Spray coating techniques
Surfaces, interfaces and thin films
Issue 6 (11 February 2009)
Received 16 October 2008, in final form 27 November 2008
Published 15 January 2009
Xin Zhao et al 2009 Nanotechnology 20 065605
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