CuI Encapsulated within Single‐Walled Carbon Nanotube Networks with High Current Carrying Capacity and Excellent Conductivity

Abstract

AbstractHigh current carrying capacity and high conductivity are two important indicators for materials used in microscale electronics and inverters. However, it is challenging to obtain high conductivity and high current carrying capacity at the same time since high conductivity requires a weakly bonded system to provide free electrons, while high current carrying capacity requires a strongly bonded system. In this paper, CuI@SWCNT networks by filling the single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with CuI is ingeniously prepared. CuI@SWCNT shows good stability due to the confinement protection of SWCNTs. Through the host‐guest hybridization, CuI@SWCNT networks exhibit a current carrying capacity of 2.04 × 107 A cm−2 and a conductivity of 31.67 kS m−1. Their current carrying capacity and conductivity are significantly improved compared with SWCNT. The Kelvin probe force microscopy measurements show a drop of surface potential energy after SWCNT filled with CuI, indicating that the CuI guest molecules regulate the position of the Fermi level of SWCNTs, increasing carrier concentration, achieving high conductivity and high current carrying capacity. This study offers ideas and solutions for the regulation of high‐performance carbon tube networks, which hold great promise for future applications in carbon‐based electronic devices.