Temperature-Dependent Electrical Transport Properties of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Thin Films Prepared by Electrohydrodynamic Atomization Technique

Herein, the temperature-dependent electrical transport properties of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) thin films prepared by the electrohydrodynamic atomization technique, are reported. The physico-chemical properties of SWCNT thin films are characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman, transmission electron, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy techniques. The electrical transport measurements are carried out from 285 to 20 K. A semiconducting behavior is observed when the temperature goes down to 20 K. The prevalent transport mechanism is analyzed with a variable-range hopping model, which is well aided by Raman analysis. Furthermore, the thermal dependence of the electrical conductivity of the SWCNT thin film is investigated using the Arrhenius model, which reveals the conductivity of the SWCNT thin film at low-temperature shows in the order of mega-Ohm resistance with a small activation energy of 1.81 J mol(-1), and an exponential decrement in conductivity is observed while decreasing the temperature to 20 K, which further confirms the semiconducting behavior of the SWCNT thin film. The Poole-Frenkel conduction mechanism shows best fit for the temperatures 50, 75, and 100 K, and the results provide potential insights into the science and development of SWCNT research.