Preparation and applications of silver nanowire-based transparent conductive
thin films
Feng Xu, Wenfeng Shen, Wei Xu, Jia li, Qijin Huang, Qingsong Xu, Weijie Song
Ningbo Institute of Material Technology and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences,
Ningbo, 315201, China
Email:
Transparent conductive thin films based on silver nanowires (Ag NWs) are promising
for flexible optoelectronic devices. Our group investigated the preparation and application of
transparent conductive films based on silver nanowires. We have developed Ag NWs with
high aspect ratio of >1,000. Hybrid transparent conductive films (TCFs) with a sandwich
structure composed of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) and Ag NWs were deposited on
polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates with excellent flexible stability, showing only
minor resistance changes and no surface cracks compared with pure AZO thin films
In
order to improve the thermostability of flexible TCFs, AZO/Ag NWs/AZO structure was also
deposited onto transparent polyimide (PI) substrates and displayed excellent thermostability.
The hybrid films are excellent candidates for substrates of novel flexible optoelectronic
devices which require high-temperature processing
Highly flexible and transparent film
heaters with superior mechanical and thermal stability were also fabricated by embedding Ag
NWs into transparent PI films using a solution coating method. The fabricated Ag NWs/PI
hybrid films exhibited higher heating temperatures (96 ºC) with lower input voltage (6 V),
shorter response time (T < 40 s), and lower power consumption (160.6 ºC
cm
2
W
-1
) than
ITO/FTO heaters, as well as stability after repeated use and excellent durability to bending.
The effective embedment of the Ag NW network in the surface of the transparent PI film not
only reduced the surface roughness (Rrms < 1 nm) but also enhanced the resistance of Ag
NWs against oxidation and moisture. Potential applications of the Ag NW embeded PI films
in window defogging and thermochromics are demonstrated
References:
1. Q. Xu, W. Shen, Q. Huang, Y. Yang, R. Tan, K. Zhu, N. Dai, and W. Song, J. Mater. Chem.
C, 2014.
2
(19): p. 3750-3755.
2. Q. Huang, W. Shen, X. Fang, G. Chen, Y. Yang, J. Huang, R. Tan, and W. Song, ACS
Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2015.
7
(7): p. 4299-4305.
3. Q. Huang, W. Shen, X. Fang, G. Chen, J. Guo, W. Xu, R. Tan, and W. Song, RSC Adv.,
2015.
5
(57): p. 45836-45842.
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