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Microwave welding of silver nanowires for highly transparent conductive electrodes
Author(s) -
Jung PilHoon,
Kim Yang Doo,
Sung Young Hoon,
Lee Heon
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
physica status solidi (a)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.532
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1862-6319
pISSN - 1862-6300
DOI - 10.1002/pssa.201600908
Subject(s) - materials science , sheet resistance , electrode , transmittance , indium tin oxide , composite material , nanowire , welding , electrical conductor , electrical resistivity and conductivity , bending , coating , electrical resistance and conductance , optoelectronics , layer (electronics) , chemistry , electrical engineering , engineering
Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) can be used in future conductive transparent electrodes to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films. Welding between Ag NWs is required to achieve lower electrical resistance, and an appropriate heating mechanism. In this study, microwave‐assisted welding was introduced in order to simultaneously improve the transmittance and electrical conductivity of Ag NWs, through a simple, selective, and rapid process. This method includes only two steps. First, Ag NWs dispersed in a solvent were coated onto polymer substrates by spin coating. The Ag NW‐coated substrates were exposed to microwave radiation. Next, the resulting optical transmittances and electrical conductivities are compared between the samples. Ag NWs electrode showed high electrical conductivity with a low sheet resistance of 20 Ω sq −1 at 87% transmittance (at 550 nm). Bending tests were also performed to examine the suitability of the welded Ag NWs for flexible substrates. We found that the transmittance and conductivity were preserved after repeated bending tests. Consequently, the sheet resistance was reduced by 40% using microwave heating, and these welded Ag NWs had good mechanical strength even after bending. These highly flexible and transparent electrodes can be mounted onto non‐planar surfaces for use in various future flexible electronics.