Low reflectance of carbon nanotube and nanoscroll-based thin film coatings: a case study

Research on carbon material-based thin films with low light reflectance has received significant attention for the development of high absorber coatings for stray light control applications. Herein, we report a method for the successful fabrication of stable thin films comprised of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and nanoscrolls (CNS) on an aluminium (Al) substrate, which exhibited low reflectance of the order of 2–3% in the visible and near-infrared (NIR) spectral bands. Changes in the structural and chemical composition of pristine single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) samples were analyzed after each processing step. Spectroscopy, microscopy and microstructural studies demonstrated emergence of CNS and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) due to the sequential chemical processing of the sample. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed the formation of CNS via curling and folding of graphene sheets. Microstructural investigations including SEM and atomic force microscopy (AFM) confirmed the presence of microcavities and pores on the surface of the film. These cavities and pores significantly contribute to the observed low reflectance value of CNTs, CNS compound films by trapping the incident light. Fundamental space environmental simulation tests (SEST) were performed on the coated films, that showed promising results with reflectance values almost unaltered in the visible and NIR spectral bands, demonstrating the durability of these films as potential candidates to be used in extreme space environmental conditions. This study describes the preparation, characterization, and testing of blended CNT and CNS coatings for low-light scattering applications.