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A Fabrication Method for Highly Stretchable Conductors with Silver Nanowires
Published on: January 21, 2016
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Comparative Study on Preparation Methods for Transparent Conductive Films Based on Silver Nanowires
Jizhe Zhang1, Xingzhong Zhu1,2, Juan Xu1
1College of Physics, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 211106, China.
Molecules (Basel, Switzerland)
|December 23, 2022
Summary
This study compares four methods for creating silver nanowire films, finding vacuum filtration yields the most uniform and smooth films. Different methods suit various applications, from small flexible electronics to large-area coatings.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Optoelectronics
Background:
- Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) possess excellent optoelectronic properties, making them promising alternatives to indium tin oxide (ITO).
- Ag NWs are applicable in electrocatalysis, stretchable electronics, and solar cells.
- The preparation method significantly influences the performance of Ag NW-based transparent conductive films (TCFs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare four mainstream fabrication methods for Ag NW-based TCFs: Mayer-rod coating, spin coating, spray coating, and vacuum filtration.
- To analyze the impact of preparation techniques on the surface morphology, conductivity, uniformity, and flexible stability of Ag NW films.
- To identify the optimal preparation method for specific applications based on film characteristics.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of Ag NW-based TCFs using Mayer-rod coating, spin coating, spray coating, and vacuum filtration.
- Characterization of film properties including surface morphology, electrical conductivity, uniformity, and flexible stability.
- Post-treatment of Ag NW/PMMA films with NaBH4 and PMMA for defogging applications.
Main Results:
- Vacuum filtration produced TCFs with superior surface roughness and uniformity, attributed to enhanced NW-NW junction welding after pressing.
- Spin coating is suitable for small-sized Ag NW films with excellent bending stability.
- Mayer-rod coating and spray coating enable the fabrication of larger-area films, with uniformity dependent on process parameters like pull-down speed and spray distance.
- Ag NW/PMMA films demonstrated potential for defogging applications via Joule heating.
Conclusions:
- The choice of preparation method is critical for tailoring Ag NW-based films to specific application requirements regarding size and performance.
- Vacuum filtration and spin coating are advantageous for small-scale, high-performance applications.
- Mayer-rod and spray coating are suitable for large-area film fabrication.
- Optimized Ag NW films show promise in diverse fields, including defogging technologies.
