Electromechanical Properties of Conductive MWCNT Film Deposited on Flexible Substrate Affected by Concentration of Dispersing Agent

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been regarded as a promising material for the fabrication of flexible conductors such as transparent electrodes, flexible heaters, and transparent speakers. In this study, a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) film was deposited on a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate using a spraying technique. MWCNTs were dispersed in water using sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). To evaluate the effect of the weight ratio between SDS and MWCNTs on the electromechanical properties of the film, direct tensile tests and optical strain measurement were conducted. It was found that the CNT film hardly affected the mechanical behavior of CNT/PET composite films, while the electrical behavior of the CNT film was strongly affected by the SDS concentration in the CNT film. The electrical resistance of CNT/PET films gradually increased with the strain applied to the PET substrate, even up to a large strain that ruptured the substrate.