Direct patterning of carbon nanotube aerosols for high-performance flexible electronics
Zhenyu Xu, David W. Fox, Nan Wei, Peng Fei Liu, Yuhan Wen, Rui Gao, Avetik R. Harutyunyan, Hua Jiang, Qiang Zhang, Esko I. Kauppinen
Abstract
Patterned carbon nanotube electrodes have been widely applied in flexible electronics due to their excellent mechanical and electrical properties. However, conventional patterning methods such as ink-based printing and lithography inevitably diminish their unique intrinsic properties due to necessary post synthesis treatments. In this work, we report a facile high throughput method for fabricating patterned electrodes based on in-situ deposition of pristine aerosolized carbon nanotubes. The resulting patterned electrodes demonstrate exceptionally low sheet resistance of 1.3 Ω∙sq −1 at 90 % transmittance. The electroluminescence devices with color tunability fabricated on corresponding patterned electrodes show remarkable tolerance of large mechanical deformations and extensive cycling. The proposed scalable, binder-free patterning electrode technology based on pristine carbon nanotubes can dramatically enhance the performances of flexible and wearable electronics. • Developed direct dry patterning of pristine CNT aerosols for flexible electronics. • Investigated factors affecting the resolution and transfer of CNT patterns. • Patterned CNT electrodes with a record-low sheet resistance of 1.3 Ω∙sq −1 at 90 %T. • Demonstrated flexible, tunable ACEL devices using patterned CNT electrodes.