Versatile High-Performance SWNT Electrodes Enabled by Glycerol-Doped PEDOT:PSS Interfacial Engineering

This paper reports improvements made to the performance of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) electrodes by integrating a glycerol-doped PEDOT:PSS (PEGL) layer, resulting in a novel material termed SWGL. The PEGL layer addresses key challenges in SWNT electrodes, including poor adhesion, low work function, and limited catalytic activity, by acting as an adhesive interface, carrier injection layer, and catalyst. Through a series of spin-coating and rinsing processes, SWGL films are prepared, exhibiting significantly improved adhesion to inorganic substrates, enhanced electrical conductivity, and stability under thermal treatment. The electronic structure, morphology, and performance of the SWGL films are characterized using techniques such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy, revealing a gradual improvement in conductivity and work function with successive SWNT spin coatings. Optimized SWGL electrodes are evaluated by employing them in organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), which show substantial improvements in device performance. Specifically, SWGL-based electrodes exhibit excellent charge injection, reduced interface resistance, and comparable efficiency to conventional electrodes used in OTFTs or DSSCs. This work provides a versatile and cost-effective solution for the development of high-performance SWNT-based electrodes for use in diverse electronic devices.