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Highly bendable, transparent, and conductive AgNWs-PET films fabricated via transfer-printing and second pressing technique

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Abstract

Highly bendable, transparent, and conductive films composed of silver nanowires (AgNWs) network and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate were prepared by a transfer-printing and second pressing technique using different dimensional AgNWs. The performance of the films as a function of optical and bending performances with low sheet resistance is enhanced, by controlling the diameter and length of AgNWs, area density, and the mechanical press condition. With the optimized mean diameter (D) ~40 nm and length (L) ~15 μm, the as-prepared AgNWs-PET film possesses a sheet resistance of 11.5 Ω/sq, transmittance (T 550) of 93.4 %, and haze of 1.23 %. The AgNWs-PET film with the second press treatment at 10 MPa for 20 s shows a very excellent bending performance, with less than 8 % change of the sheet resistance after 46,000 bending cycles without any additional conductive polymer. This highly bendable, transparent, and conductive film is suitable for emerging technologies such as flexible display, electrical skins, and bendable solar cells.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 51274106, 51474113, 51474037), the Science and Technology Support Program of Jiangsu Province of China (Grant Nos. BE2012143, BE2013071, BE2014850), the Natural Science Research Program of Jiangsu Province Higher Education of China (Grant Nos. 12KJA430001, 14KJB430010), and the Jiangsu Province’s Postgraduate Cultivation and Innovation Project of China (Grant CXZZ13-0662, KYLX-1030, SJZZ-0132).

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  1. Institute for Advanced Materials, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, 212013, China

    Mao-xiang **g, Min Li, Cui-yu Chen, Zhou Wang & **ang-qian Shen

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  1. Mao-xiang **g
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  2. Min Li
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  3. Cui-yu Chen
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  5. **ang-qian Shen
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Correspondence to **ang-qian Shen.

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**g, Mx., Li, M., Chen, Cy. et al. Highly bendable, transparent, and conductive AgNWs-PET films fabricated via transfer-printing and second pressing technique. J Mater Sci 50, 6437–6443 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9198-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9198-3

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