Activation of printed or dispensed carbon nanotube (CNT) film using a particle-blasting technique, also referred to as sandblasting or bead blasting. The process works by sending particles of material at high enough velocity such that when the particles hit the surface, some of the material at the surface is removed. The surface of the printed CNT film is slowly eroded away by the particles from the particle gun. The CNT fibers may be embedded in several layers of the printed layer, so they may not be removed easily.