Surface control and cryogenic durability of transparent CNT coatings on dip-coated glass substrates

[Display omitted] ► Highly transparent and conductive CNT coating could be fabricated by dip-coating. ► The number of dip-coatings was used to easily control CNT coating thickness. ► The wettability was attributed to the nanostructure of the CNT in the coatings. ► The dip-coating method was observed to produce reasonably uniform coatings. ► CNT coatings exhibited better interfacial durability than brittle ITO coatings. Transparent carbon nanotube (CNT) coatings were deposited on boro-silicate glass substrates by dip-coating. Ultraviolet–visible (UV) spectra, surface resistance measurement, and the wettability tests were used to investigate the optical transmittance and electrical properties of these CNT coatings. The changes in electrical and optical properties of these coatings were observed to be functions of the number of dip-coating cycles. The surface resistance of the CNT coated substrates decreased dramatically as the number of dip-coatings was increased, whereas the increases in the CNT layer thickness beyond that for the first dipping cycle had little effect on the transparent-properties. Static contact angle measurements proved to be an effective means for evaluating the surface morphology of CNT coatings. The interfacial durability of the CNT coatings on a glass substrate was much better than that of ITO coatings over the temperature range from −150°C to +150°C.