Field effect of carbon nanotubes with an ionomeric polymer

Flexible field effect transistors based on a single walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) network and an ionomeric polymer (nafion) were obtained by spraying nanotubes onto the polymer film, The threshold gate voltage was extremely low, ~1 V, which was surprising since the nafion layer was so thick, ∼ 180 μm. This was attributed to the electrolytic nature of nafion, which results in the existence of a screening layer at the polymer-nanotube interface. FET hysteresis can be rationalized in terms of charge redistribution induced by mobile protons inside nafion clusters in proximity to the nanotube surface. © 2007 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA