Improving the electrical conductivity of multi-walled carbon nanotube networks by H ion beam irradiation

Transparent multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) networks were irradiated by Ar and H ion beams at 800 K which increased the electrical conductivities of the networks. For networks with transmittances between 40% and 65% at 550 nm, the conductivities could be doubled by H ion irradiation. This increase is ascribed to the formation of covalent bond cross-links between ion irradiated MWCNTs. Moreover, the effect was higher for H ion irradiation than for Ar ion irradiation. This difference is because the damage of H ion irradiation to MWCNTs is weaker than that of Ar ion irradiation.