Super-aligned carbon nanotube film and its

application in touch panels

Shoushan FanDepartment of Physics

Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research Center Tsinghua University

Beijing, China

Tsinghua-Foxconn Nanotechnology Research CenterTsinghua University, Beijing, China

GOAL

To make carbon nanotubes useful!

Reality and Dreams of Carbon Nanotubes

The Reality

The Dreams

Field emissionNanoelectronics

SensorsPhotonics

SPM probesComposites

…

To Make Carbon Nanotubes in OrderLaser

Ar

C-H

Arc discharge

Laser ablation

CVD

Breakthrough in Making Orderly CNTs

Science 283 (1999) 512

Radom Aligned Super-Aligned

Nature 419 (2002) 801

CNT Films

CNT Films and Unique Properties

Transparent,

Anisotropic

Conductivity,

Flexible,

Polarized

Free of catalyst

8” wafer 300m long film

1cm

8-inch wafer

Carbon Nanotube Film Touch Panel

CmHn

Advantages

• Replacing indium with carbon• Truly flexible and durable, Suitable for 3-D molding • No photolithography, due to

anisotropic conductivity• High transparency, due to

polarization of the CNT film

Advanced Functional Materials, 20 (2010) 885; 21 (2011) 2721   

Features of CNT Touch Panels

Truly Flexible

Radius of flexture: 5mmCNT Film

Fixing Frame

Sliding Path: 120mm

Bending Test

Features of CNT Touch Panels

Pen Pitting Durability Test Scrape Durability Test

• Weight: 500g• Pen size: 0.8mm (diameter)• Frequency: 3 knocks/sec.• Total: > 2 KK knocks (Pass)• Knocked side: Film-side

• Weight: 500g• Pen size: 0.8mm (diameter)• Total: > 2 KK knocks (Pass)• Scrape side: Film-side

Function Test : PASS

GLASS+FILM

PMMA+FILM

PMMAPMMACNT-SensorCNT-Sensor

Pen Pitting Test

PMMAPMMACNT-SensorCNT-Sensor

Scrape Test

CNT touch panels are durable

Features of CNT Touch Panels

CNT Film LCD

Polarization of light

e

CNT Film

Polarization of light

Nature light

e

CNT Film

Pola

rizati

on o

f lig

ht

Polarizati

on of ligh

t

Polarization of light

Parallel 45 degree Perpendicular

Parallel

Perpendicular

Optimized transparency for polarized light

Touch force sensing

Features of CNT Touch Panels

Anti-inteference

Water proof

CNT ITO

Low reflectivity (3% less)

Processing Comparison: CNT & ITO

Forming filmsRaw materials Patterning

Dry pulling

CmHn

CVD6000C 30min

NO Patterning

CNT

VacuumEvaporationSputtering

Indium & TinMining

SmeltingTarget

preparation

LithographEtching

Expensive facilitiesPollution

ITO

For making 100 million TP, CNT processing saves

9 million kwh of electricity and 1 million tons of water

8”- CNT Wafer: Mass Production

CNT Touch Panel: Mass Production

2,000 m2 cleanroom

2 million 4-7” CNT touch panels per month

CNT Touch Panel: Commercialization

2002 2005 20122008

25 million CNT touch panels have been sold

Will.i.am

SACNT Wafer: Potential Applications

Super aligned carbon nanotubesCarbon nanotubes with clean wall surface

No catalyst in CNT arraysEasy to be patterned and transferred

4-inch wafer8-inch wafer 12-inch Quartz wafer

Markets ?

CNT Wires: Ultrathin and Strong

CNT wires Cu coated CNT wires

Ultra-thin diameter, High tensile strength, High flexibility

Low weight, bio-compatible

CNT Papers: Mass Production

Parallel laying Cross laying

Conducting Flexible Anti-corrosion High permeability Bio-compatible

Adv. Mater. 2012, 24, 2294 ; Adv. Funct. Mater., 2013, 23, 846 ; Nano Lett., 2013, 13, 818

CNT films for Lithium Ion Batteries

Conductive network Structural scaffold

Lightweight and flexible CNT film

current collectors

• Flexible and high strength• Better rate performance and excellent cycling • Lightweight and higher energy density

CNT-film

Polymer

CNT-film/Polymer Composite Actuators

Anisotropic conductivity

Carbon Nanotube Film Heating Devices

Uniform heating Flexibility

Fast temperature response

Addressable micro-heater arrays

Advanced Materials, 21( 2009) 3563

Flexible heaterMicro-heater arrayPolarized light

Looking for Real Applications

Thermo-Acoustic Effect: CNT Film Speaker

Nano Letters ， 8 (2008) 4539

Transparent, Flexible, Stretchable Speaker

CNT thermoacoustic chips

Nano Lett. 13 (2013) 4795

Prototype Samples of CNT Speaker

• National Basic Research Program of China • National Science Foundation of China • Foxconn Technology Group

Acknowledgment

Thank You

谢 谢