Ionic Liquid-Enhanced Assembly of Nanomaterials for Highly Stable Flexible Transparent Electrodes

The controlled assembly of nanomaterials has demon-strated significant potential in advancing technological devices.However,achieving highly efficient and low-loss assembly technique for nanomate-rials,enabling the creation of hierarchical structures with distinctive func-tionalities,remains a formidable challenge.Here,we present a method for nanomaterial assembly enhanced by ionic liquids,which enables the fabrication of highly stable,flexible,and transparent electrodes featuring an organized layered structure.The utilization of hydrophobic and non-volatile ionic liquids facilitates the production of stable interfaces with water,effectively preventing the sedimentation of 1D/2D nanomaterials assembled at the interface.Furthermore,the interfacially assembled nanomaterial monolayer exhibits an alternate self-climbing behavior,enabling layer-by-layer transfer and the formation of a well-ordered MXene-wrapped silver nanowire network film.The resulting composite film not only demonstrates exceptional photoelectric performance with a sheet resistance of 9.4Ωsq^(-1) and 93%transmittance,but also showcases remarkable environmental stability and mechanical flexibility.Particularly noteworthy is its application in transparent electromagnetic interference shielding materials and triboelectric nanogenerator devices.This research introduces an innovative approach to manufacture and tailor functional devices based on ordered nanomaterials.

Bifunctional flexible electrochromic energy storage devices based on silver nanowire flexible transparent electrodes

Flexible electrochromic energy storage devices(FECESDs)for powering flexible electronics have attracted considerable attention.Silver nanowires(AgNWs)are one kind of the most promising flexible transparent electrodes(FTEs)materials for the emerging flexible devices.Currently,fabricating FECESD based on AgNWs FTEs is still hindered by their intrinsic poor electrochemical stability.To address this issue,a hybrid AgNWs/Co(OH)_(2)/PEDOT:PSS electrode is proposed.The PEDOT:PSS could not only improve the resistance against electrochemical corrosion of AgNWs,but also work as functional layer to realize the color-changing and energy storage properties.Moreover,the Co(OH)_(2)interlayer further improved the color-changing and energy storage performance.Based on the improvement,we assembled the symmetrical FECESDs.Under the same condition,the areal capacitance(0.8 mF cm^(−2))and coloration efficiency(269.80 cm^(2)C−1)of AgNWs/Co(OH)_(2)/PEDOT:PSS FECESDs were obviously higher than AgNWs/PEDOT:PSS FECESDs.Furthermore,the obtained FECESDs exhibited excellent stability against the mechanical deformation.The areal capacitance remained stable during 1000 times cyclic bending with a 25 mm curvature radius.These results demonstrated the broad application potential of the AgNWs/Co(OH)_(2)/PEDOT:PSS FECESD for the emerging portable and multifunctional electronics.

Low haze transparent electrodes and highly conducting air dried films with ultra-long silver nanowires synthesized by one-step polyol method

Transparent electrodes made of silver nanowires （AgNWs） exhibit higher flexibility when compared to those made of tin doped indium oxide （ITO） and are expected to be applied in plastic electronics. However, these transparent electrodes composed of AgNWs show high haze because the wires cause strong light scattering in the visible range. Reduction of the wire diameter has been proposed as a way to weaken light scattering, although there have seldom been any studies focusing on the haze because of the difficulty involved in controlling the wire diameter. In this report, we show that the haze can be easily reduced by increasing the length of AgNWs with a large diameter. Ultra-long （u-long） AgNWs with lengths in the range of 20-100 μm and a maximum length of 230 μm have been successfully synthesized by adjusting the reaction temperature and the stirring speed of a one-step polyol process. Compared to typical AgNWs （with diameter and length of 70 nm and 10 μm, respectively） and ITO, a transparent electrode consisting of u-long AgNWs 91 nm in diameter demonstrated a low haze of 3.4%-1.6% and a low sheet resistance of 24-109 Ω/sq. at a transmittance of 94%-97%. Even when fabricated at room temperature without any post-treatment, the electrodes composed of u-long AgNWs achieved a sheet resistance of 19 Ω/sq, at a transmittance of 80%, which is six orders of magnitude lower than that of typical AgNWs.

A Rapid Synthesis of High Aspect Ratio Silver Nanowires for High-Performance Transparent Electrodes

A rapid,simple and cost-effective polyol method has been developed for the synthesis of silver nanowires with high aspect ratio and high purity.The aspect ratios of the silver nanowires as high as ca.1000(average length 40μm and some even as long as 80μm,diameter 50-100 nm)were obtained via optimizing the reaction conditions.Transparent electrodes with excellent optoelectronic performances(optical transmittance of 90%,sheet resistance of 23.2Ω/□and optical transmittance of 87%,sheet resistance of 19.7Ω/□)comparable to commercial ITO were fab-ricated via simple spin coating the resulting silver nanowires onto the glass substrates.The high optoelectronic per-formances and the facile all-solution process of the as-prepared transparent electrodes render them rather promising candidates for use in cost-effective large-area optoelectronic devices.

Silver nanowires with semiconducting ligands for low- temperature transparent conductors

Metal nanowire networks represent a promising candidate for the rapid fabrication of transparent electrodes with high transmission and low sheet-resistance values at very low deposition temperatures. A commonly encountered challenge in the formation of conductive nanowire electrodes is establishing high-quality electronic contact between nanowires to facilitate long-range current transport through the network. A new system involving nanowire ligand removal and replacement with a semiconducting sol-gel tin oxide matrix has enabled the fabrication of high-performance transparent electrodes at dramatically reduced temperatures with minimal need for post-deposition treatment.

UV-assisted flash light welding process to fabricate silver nanowire/graphene on a PET substrate for transparent electrodes

Graphene oxide and silver nanowires were bar coated onto polyethylene terephthalate （PET） substrates and then welded using an ultraviolet （UV）-assisted flash light irradiation process to achieve both high electrical conductivity and low haze. The irradiation process connected adjacent silver nanowires by welding, while simultaneously reducing the graphene oxide to graphene. This process was performed using a custom W-assisted flash light welding system at room temperature under ambient conditions and was extremely rapid, with processing time of several milliseconds. The effects of varying the weight fractions of the silver nanowires and graphene oxide and of varying the W-assisted flash light welding conditions （light energy and pulse duration） were investigated. The surface morphologies of the welded silver nanowire/graphene films were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. Optical characterizations, including transmittance and haze measurements, were also conducted using a spectrophotometer. To test their resistance to oxidation, the welded silver nanowire/graphene films were subjected to high temperature in a furnace （100 ℃）, and their sheet resistances were measured every hour. The flash light welding process was found to yield silver nanowire/graphene films with high oxidation resistance, high conductivity （14.35 Ω·sq-1）, high transmittance （93.46%）, and low haze （0.9%）. This material showed uniform temperature distribution when applied as a resistive heating film.

Fabrication of Silver Nanowire Transparent Electrodes at Room Temperature

Silver nanowires （AgNWs） surrounded by insulating poly（vinylpyrrolidone） have been synthesized by a polyol process and employed as transparent electrodes. The AgNW transparent electrodes can be fabricated by heattreatment at about 200 ℃ which forms connecting junctions between AgNWs. Such a heating process is, however, one of the drawbacks of the fabrication of AgNW electrodes on heat-sensitive substrates. Here it has been demonstrated that the electrical conductivity of AgNW electrodes can be improved by mechanical pressing at 25 MPa for 5 s at room temperature. This simple process results in a low sheet resistance of 8.6 Ω/square and a transparency of 80.0%, equivalent to the properties of the AgNW electrodes heated at 200 ℃. This technique makes it possible to fabricate AgNW transparent electrodes on heat-sensitive substrates. The AgNW electrodes on poly（ethylene terephthalate） films exhibited high stability of their electrical conductivities against the repeated bending test. In addition, the surface roughness of the pressed AgNW electrodes is one-third of that of the heat-treated electrode because the AgNW junctions are mechanically compressed. As a result, an organic solar cell fabricated on the pressed AgNW electrodes exhibited a power conversion as much as those fabricated on indium tin oxide electrodes. These findings enable continuous roll-to-roll processing at room temperature, resulting in relatively simple, inexpensive, and scalable processing that is suitable for forthcoming technologies such as organic solar cells, flexible displays, and touch screens.

Silver Nanowire Electrodes: Conductivity Improvement Without Post-treatment and Application in Capacitive Pressure Sensors

Transparent electrode based on silver nanowires(Ag NWs) emerges as an outstanding alternative of indium tin oxide film especially for flexible electronics. However, the conductivity of Ag NWs transparent electrode is still dramatically limited by the contact resistance between nanowires at high transmittance. Polyvinylpyrrolidone(PVP) layer adsorbed on the nanowire surface acts as an electrically insulating barrier at wire–wire junctions, and some devastating post-treatment methods are proposed to reduce or eliminate PVP layer, which usually limit the application of the substrates susceptible to heat or pressure and burden the fabrication with high-cost, time-consuming, or inefficient processes. In this work, a simple and rapid pre-treatment washing method was proposed to reduce the thickness of PVP layer from 13.19 to0.96 nm and improve the contact between wires. Ag NW electrodes with sheet resistances of 15.6 and 204 X sq-1have been achieved at transmittances of 90 and 97.5 %, respectively. This method avoided any post-treatments and popularized the application of high-performance Ag NW transparent electrode on more substrates. The improved Ag NWs were successfully employed in a capacitive pressure sensor with high transparency, sensitivity, and reproducibility.

Direct-Writing Large-Area Cross-Aligned Ag Nanowires Network:Toward High-Performance Transparent Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes

Flexible transparent electrodes(FTEs)made of silver nanowires(AgNWs)have been widely used in wearable and foldable electronics devices.For obtaining FTEs with both high transparency and low resistance,the AgNWs network should be highly cross-aligned with a low density.Various solution processes have been developed,but most suffer from poor control of the distribution of the AgNWs.

Long-term stable silver nanowire transparent composite as bottom electrode for perovskite solar cells

As the most promising alternative to traditional indium tin oxide （ITO）, silver nanowire （AgNW） composite transparent electrodes with improved stabilities compared with that of the pristine AgNWs networks have been demonstrated in various devices. However, a stable AgNW/polymer composite as the bottom electrode for perovskite solar cells has not yet been reported. Here, a long-term stable, smooth AgNW composite with an antioxidant-modified chitosan polymer was developed. The modified polymer can effectively protect pristine AgNWs from side reactions with perovskite, whereas it does not block the carrier drift through the interface of the insulating polymer. The as-prepared AgNW/polymer composite electrode exhibited a root mean square roughness below 10 nm at a scan size of 50 μm × 50 μm, and its original sheet resistance did not change obviously after aging at 85 ℃ for 40 days in air. As a result, the perovskite solar cell employing the composite as the bottom electrode yielded a power conversion efficiency of 7.9%, which corresponds to nearly 75% of that of the reference device with an ITO electrode.

Multilayer ordered silver nanowire network films by self-driven climbing for large-area flexible optoelectronic devices

Silver nanowire(AgNW)networks hold great promises as next-generation flex-ible transparent electrodes(FTEs)for high-performance flexible optoelectronic devices.However,achieving large-area flexible AgNW network electrodes with low sheet resistance,high optical transmittance,and a smooth surface remains a grand challenge.Here,we report a straightforward and cost-effective roll-to-roll method that includes interface assembly/wetting-induced climbing transfer,nanowelding,and washing processess to fabricate flexible ordered lay-ered AgNW electrodes with high network uniformity.By manipulating the stacking number of the interfacially assembled AgNW monolayer,we can pre-cisely tailor and balance the transparency and the conductivity of the elec-trodes,achieving an exceptional Figure of Merit(FoM)value of 862.Moreover,the ordered layered structure enhances surface smoothness,compared with randomly arranged structures.To highlight the potential of these ordered lay-ered AgNW network electrodes in flexible optoelectronic devices,we success-fully employ them as highly sensitive strain sensors,large-area flexible touch screens,and flexible smart windows.Overall,this work represents a substantial advance toward high-performance FTEs over large areas,opening up exciting opportunities for the development of advanced optoelectronic devices.

Optical haze of transparent and conductive silver nanowire films

Contemporary nanostructured transparent electrodes for use in solar cells require high transmittance and high conductivity, dictating nanostructures with high aspect ratios. Optical haze is an equally important yet unstudied parameter in transparent electrodes for solar cells that is also determined by the geometry of the nanostructures that compose the electrode. In this work, the effect of the silver nanowire diameter on the optical haze values in the visible spectrum was investigated using films composed of wires with either small diameters （N60 nm） or large diameters （~150 nm）. Finite difference time domain （FDTD） simulations and experimental transmittance data confirm that smaller diameter nanowires form higher performing transparent conducting electrode （TCE） films according to the current figure of merit. While maintaining near constant transmittance and conductivity for each film, however, it was observed experimentally that films composed of silver nanowires with larger diameters have a higher haze factor than films with smaller diameters. This confirms the FDTD simulations of the haze factor for single nanowires with similarly large and small diameters. This is the first record of haze properties for Ag NWs that have been simulated or experimentally measured, and also the first evidence that the current figure of merit for TCEs is insufficient to evaluate their performance in solar cell devices.

“Reinforced concrete”-like flexible transparent electrode for organic solar cells with high efficiency and mechanical robustness

Flexible transparent electrodes(FTEs) with robust mechanical stability are crucial for the industrial application of flexible organic solar cells(OSCs). However, their production remains challenging owing to the difficulty in balancing the conductivity,transmittance, and adhesion of FTEs to substrates. Herein, we present the so-called “reinforced concrete” strategy which finetunes the structure of silver nanowires(Ag NWs)-based FTEs with polydopamine(PDA) possessing good adhesion properties and moderate reducibility. The PDA reduces Ag+to form silver nanoparticles(Ag NPs) which grow like “rivets” at the Ag NW junction sites;PDA stabilizes the Ag NW skeleton and improves the adhesion between the Ag NWs and polyethylene terephthalate(PET) substrate and interface layer. The obtained Ag NW:PDA:Ag NP FTE exhibits excellent optoelectronic properties and high mechanical stability. The resulting flexible OSCs exhibit 17.07% efficiency, high flexibility during 10,000 bending test cycles, and robust peeling stability. In addition, this “reinforced concrete”-like FTE provides great advantages for the production of large-area flexible OSCs, thereby paving a new way toward their commercial application.

Patternable and transferable silver nanowire conductors via plasma-enhanced cryo-transferring process towards highly stretchable and transparent capacitive touch sensor array

Stretchable transparent electrode(STE)plays a key role in numerous emerging applications as an indispensable component for future stretchable devices.The embedded STE,as a promising candidate,possesses balanced performances and facile preparation procedures.However,it still suffers from the defects of conductive materials caused by the transferring,which results in the irreversible failure of devices.In this work,a patternable silver nanowire(AgNW)STE was fabricated by a plasma-enhanced cryo-transferring(PEC-transferring)process.Owing to the plasma-induced sintering,the AgNW network obtained remarkable improvement in robustness,which ensured the intact network after transferring and thus led to superior tensile electrical properties of the STE.Furthermore,serpentine patterns were utilized to optimize the tensile electrical properties of the STE,which achieved a figure of merit of 292.8 and 150%resistance changing under 50%strain.As a practical application,a 4×3 array of the mutual-capacitive type stretchable touch sensors was demonstrated for future touch sensors in stretchable devices.The PEC-transferring process opened a new avenue for patternable embedded STEs and exhibited its high potential in wearable electronics and the Internet of Thing devices.

One-step plasmonic welding and photolithographic patterning of silver nanowire network by UV-programable surface atom diffusion

Silver nanowire(AgNW)based transparent electrode(TE)plays a pivotal role in optoelectronics where TE is generally required to have fine pattern and high performance.Despite the rapid technological advances in either welding or patterning of AgNWs,there are few studies that combine the two processes in a simple and practical manner.Here,aiming to fabricate high-performance patterned AgNW TE,we develop a simplified photolithography that enables both plasmonic nanowelding with low-level UV exposure(20 mW/cm^(2))and high-resolution micropatterning without photoresist and etching process by conjugating AgNW with diphenyliodonium nitrate(DPIN)and UV-curable cellulose.The cellulose as a binder can effectively enhance plasmonic heating,adhesion,and stability,while the photosensitive DPIN,capable of modulating surface atom diffusion,can boost the plasmonic welding at AgNW junction and induce patterning in AgNW network with Plateau-Rayleigh instability.The fabricated AgNW TE has high figure of merit of up to 1,000(3.7Ω/sq at 90%transmittance)and minimal pattern size down to 3µm,along with superior robustness.Finally,a flexible smart window with high performance is demonstrated using the patterned and welded AgNW TEs,verifying the applicability of the simplified photolithography technique to optoelectronic devices.

透明电极用银纳米线尺寸与光电性能相关性综述

介绍了银纳米线透明电极光电性能的相关理论。根据国外研究团队建立的相应模型,结合目前透明电极主流应用对银纳米线的性能要求,阐释了银纳米线的尺寸与透明电极的光电性能之间的联系,给出了评判电极光电综合性能的重要参数和满足透明电极应用的银纳米线尺寸具体要求,为银纳米线的合成提供了理论参考。

A transparent, conducting tape for flexible electronics

Transparent electrodes are essential components for optoelectronic devices such as displays and thin-film solar cells. Traditionally, the deposition of transparent conducting layers and the sealing of the device are separate steps. Here we report on a highly transparent, conductive, and flexible ＂tape＂, which can be obtained by transferring silver nanowire networks to conventional transparent tape. We utilized the viscidity of the tape to reduce the junction resistance between silver nanowires and further protect the nanowires from corrosion, oxidation and mechanical damage. By this simple method, we obtained a flexible tape with high transparency （-90% at 550 nm wavelength） and low sheet resistance （approaching 22 Ω.sq^-1）. The transparent tape can be attached and stuck firmly on complex surfaces, making the surface highly conductive. We demonstrated the use of the tape as both a conducting layer and a sealing layer for flexible electronics applications including in-situ temperature monitoring and electrochromic devices.

高长径比银纳米线及其透明电极制备

银纳米线是惊种极具潜力的新惊代透明电极材料。通过合成小直径、高长径比的银纳米线，采用适当的成膜工艺以及后处理工艺，制备出了在玻璃和PET膜上的透明电极。其中在玻璃和PET上的透明电极在90%的透过率下方阻分别为15和25Ω/□。这些银纳米线透明电极的综合性能达到了国际惊流水平，具有较强的应用前景。

Optical properties of conductive silver-nanowire films with different nanowire lengths

Transparent electrodes made of silver nanowires （Ag NWs） exhibit a higher flexibility than conventional indium tin oxide electrodes.For this reason,Ag NWs may find applications in future flexible electronic and optoelectronic devices.However,different optoelectronic devices have different specific requirements for Ag NWs.For example,the optical transmittance haze is an important but rarely studied aspect of Ag NW films.In this study,the optical transmittance and optical scattering of long （5-50 μm,L-NWs） and short （1-20 μm,S-NWs） Ag NW films were investigated.The L-NWs exhibited better optical transmission than the S-NWs,whereas the S-NWs exhibited better light-scattering properties than the L-NWs.Our results indicate that the L-NWs are suitable for touch-screen displays,whereas the S-NWs are better suited as transparent conductive films for solar cells.We analyzed the scattering ratio of forward-scattered light to backscattered light for both the L-NWs and S-NWs and discovered that the mesh size affected the scattering ratio.For longer wavelengths,a larger mesh yielded a higher backscattering ratio,whereas a smaller mesh yielded a lower backscattering ratio.We formulated an equation for calculating the reflection haze using the total reflection （Ag NWs/glass）,R and the reflection of glass,R0.The reflection haze of the S-NWs and L-NWs exhibited different trends in the visible-near-infrared region.An omnidirectional scattering model for the Ag NWs was used to evaluate the Ag NW scattering properties.The results of this study have great significance for the evaluation of the performance of Ag NWs in optoelectronic devices.

透明Ag纳米线电极的后处理优化及性能

采用优化的多元醇制备工艺,以乙二醇为溶剂和还原剂,聚乙烯吡咯烷酮(PVP)为表面活性剂,CuCl_2为控制剂,合成了超长的Ag纳米线。利用旋涂工艺在玻璃基板上制作了透明的Ag纳米线薄膜电极,系统研究了退火温度和模压力对Ag纳米线电极透过率及导电性的影响。结果表明,当退火温度为200℃、压力5 MPa时,Ag纳米线在保持光线透过率损失很小的条件下薄膜阻值由3200Ω/□可优化至17Ω/□。薄膜电极导电能力的提高主要源于在较高退火温度和压力双重作用下纳米线外层包裹的PVP层的去除,实现了纳米线交叉点互焊与互联。研究了未处理和预处理工艺对Ag纳米线电极上沉积的ZnO纳米棒的形貌和场发射特性的影响。结果显示:经预处理的透明电极表面沉积的ZnO呈有序棒状排列,而未处理的样品展现出无序形貌;场发射测量显示纳米线电极预处理方法可有效降低ZnO纳米棒开启场强。