Fabrication of color conductive inks by introducing SWCNT/Ag and various dyes into polymeric solutions for potential applications in disposable, cheap, and flexible electronics

The multifaceted field of conductive inks is moving from a preliminary to an advanced stage. In this study, cellulose filter paper was used as a popular, renewable, and inexpensive material, with very interesting flexible characteristics. The novelty of this work was to use a single-walled carbon nanotube/silver (SWCNT/Ag) nanopowder in a color polymeric matrix for preparing highly conductive color inks resistant to washing. An investigation comparing three inks colored separately with different anionic and cationic dyes was performed to examine possible changes in electrical resistivity of the papers. The results obtained from FT-IR spectroscopy showed the presence of carboxylic groups in acid-treated SWCNTs and revealed Ag-containing bonds. XRD results confirmed functionalization of SWCNTs and obtaining SWCNT/Ag powder with Ag nanoparticles (NPs). Thermal stability and degradation of specimens were studied using TGA analysis to measure the percentage of Ag NPs in the SWCNTs network. The TEM micrographs were consistent with the Scherrer results. Finally, different color inks were synthesized with/without SWCNT/Ag nanopowder, and the four-point probe technique was utilized to measure the electrical resistivity of each colored paper. Consequently, preparation of color conductive inks by using ultra-narrow SWCNTs was done successfully.