Effects of the corona pretreatment of PET substrates on the properties of flexible transparent CNT electrodes

In this study, the effects of substrate pretreatment on the properties of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are used as flexible transparent electrodes, were investigated. CNTs were deposited on PET (polyethylene terephthalate) substrates using a spray coating method. Prior to the deposition of the CNTs, the PET substrates were corona-treated by varying the feeding directions of the PET substrate and the number of treatments. The variation in the surface morphology and roughness of the PET substrates due to the corona pretreatment were characterized via atomic force microscopy (AFM). The contact angles of the PET substrates were measured using polar and dispersive liquids, and the surface energies were estimated. Also, the sheet resistance of the CNTs deposited on the PET substrates was measured before and after the bending test. The experiment results provided strong evidence that the adhesive forces between the CNTs and the PET substrate can be substantially enhanced by corona pretreatment. - Highlights: • The surfaces of PET substrates have been treated via corona plasma. • The surface roughness and contact angle of PET substrate have been measured. • The effects of corona-treatment on the surface energy of PETs have been analyzed. • CNTs have been deposited on PET substrates using a spray coating method. • The variation in the sheet resistance of CNTs due to bending has been examined