Characterization of contact resistances in ceramic-coated vertically aligned carbon nanotube arrays

Despite the technological significance of carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays and metal-oxide coated CNTs for electronic and electrochemical devices such as supercapacitors, lithium-ion batteries, and solar-chemical cells, sub-optimal device performance often results due to large contact resistance between the CNTs and the metallic current collectors or between the CNTs and their ceramic coatings. While contact resistance measurements are regularly carried out on individually contacted CNTs, contact resistance measurements on vertically aligned (VA) CNT arrays are not routine. Here, we demonstrate that two-probe electrical current–voltage measurements and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy can be used to probe the end contact resistance and side contact resistances of coated and uncoated VACNT arrays in order to optimize material deposition and selection.