TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE OF ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE OF INDIVIDUAL CARBON NANOTUBES AND CARBON NANOTUBES NETWORK

Abstract

We present a model to understand the effect of temperature on the electrical resistance of individual semiconducting single wall carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) of various diameters under various electric fields. The temperature dependence of the resistance of s-SWCNTs and metallic SWCNTs (m-SWCNTs) are compared. These results help us to understand the temperature dependence of the resistance of SWCNTs network. We experimentally examine the temperature dependence of the resistance of random networks of SWCNTs, prepared by dispersing CNTs in ethanol and drop-casting the solution on prefabricated metallic electrodes. Examining various samples with different electrode materials and spacings, we find that the dominant resistance in determination of the temperature dependence of resistance of the network is the resistance of individual tubes, rather than the tube–tube resistance or tube–metal contact resistance. It is also found that the tube–tube resistance depends on the electrode spacing and it is more important for larger electrode spacings. By applying high electric field to burn the all-metallic paths of the SWCNTs network, the temperature dependence of the resistance of s-SWCNTs is also examined. We also investigate the effect of acid treatment of CNTs on the temperature dependence of the resistance of SWCNTs and also multi-wall CNTs (MWCNTs) networks.