Electrodeposited carbon nanotubes as template for the preparation of semi-transparent conductive thin films by in situ polymerization of methyl methacrylate

Electrodeposited single-walled carbon nanotube thin films were used to prepare carbon nanotube-polymer composites by infiltrating methyl methacrylate (MMA) followed by in situ polymerization. Once polymerized, the PMMA matrix undergoes excellent conformal filling within the nanotube network, giving rise to a semi-transparent conducting structure with lower wettability and higher mechanical properties than those of PMMA. The presented synthesis strategy could find implications toward functional nanostructures with applications in electromagnetic shielding and antistatic coatings. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.