High-Wettability Poly(dimethylsiloxane) Substrate for Ultrastable Conductive Three-Dimensional Woven Ag Nanowire...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Flexible transparent electrodes (FTEs) are crucial for optoelectronic devices.
• Three-dimensional (3D) woven silver nanowire (AgNW) grids offer improved mechanical stability, conductivity, and transmittance.
• Controlling the formation of 3D AgNW grids on substrates like poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) remains challenging.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a microtransfer-printing method for preparing high-wettability PDMS substrates.
• To enable controlled formation of uniform 3D woven AgNW grids on PDMS.
• To fabricate high-performance FTEs for flexible optoelectronic applications.

Main Methods:

• Microtransfer-printing was employed to create a high-wettability PDMS substrate.
• Surface structures of the PDMS substrate were engineered to control ink membrane shrinkage and evaporation.
• A thin, uniform 3D woven AgNW network was coated onto the prepared PDMS substrate.

Main Results:

• The prepared PDMS substrate exhibited high wettability, facilitating uniform liquid membrane evaporation.
• A 3D woven AgNW network with low sheet resistance (24.3 Ω/□) and high transmittance (92%) was achieved.
• The resulting FTEs demonstrated excellent mechanical stability, retaining only ~5% resistance change after 9,000 bending cycles.
• An alternating current electroluminescent (ACEL) device fabricated with these electrodes showed uniform electroluminescence, indicating a defect-free electrode.

Conclusions:

• The microtransfer-printing method effectively controls the formation of 3D woven AgNW grids on PDMS substrates.
• The developed FTEs possess superior mechanical robustness and excellent optoelectronic properties.
• These findings highlight the significant potential of the fabricated FTEs for advanced flexible optoelectronic applications.