Swift modification of resistively heated carbon nanotube films by the action of hydrogen peroxide

We have developed a benign technique for the modification of electrical and structural properties of horizontally aligned carbon nanotube (CNT) films. The as-made CNT films were immersed in 30 %wt aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide whilst current was passed through the nanotube bundles to bring the temperature of CNTs up to 200 degrees C. Depending on the employed conditions, we either successfully removed extraneous material contaminating CNT films and decreased its resistance by 40% or initiated the introduction of functional groups. The whole process lasted only for 1 min and was more straightforward, less expensive and more ecologically friendly than the current post-processing technologies. We imagine that such a method of tweaking up electrical and/or structural properties could be successfully employed to a range of nanomaterials with a particular focus on carbon C-sp(2) nanostructures. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.