Preparation of Water-Based Carbon Nanotube Inks and Application in the Inkjet Printing of Carbon Nanotube Gas Sensors

Abstract

Water-based carbon nanotube (CNT) is highly desirable for inkjet printing devices due to its environmentally benign and low-cost features. To improve the dispersion of CNT in water, oxygen-containing functional groups are introduced into the surface of CNT via an acid oxidation process. The CNT-based gas sensor is fabricated by inkjet printing, which shows a high sensitivity toward NO2. The application of inkjet-printed CNT in a printed RF antenna for wireless sensing is also discussed.