A method for the reliable fabrication of less than 200 nm thick, free-standing purified-SWNT films having large surface areas exceeding several cm(2) is described. Films were characterized using a variety of optical, microscopic and spectroscopic methods. The procedure was also used to prepare thin films of as-prepared, acid-cut and octadecylamine (ODA) functionalized SWNTs. Such samples allow facile transmission measurements of SWNT derived solids.