Graphene encapsulated liquid metal particles is a novel and promising class of biphasic composite, with application in the next generation of electronic devices. Here, rapid, low‐cost, and scalable fabrication of solution processed large area rGO@EGaIn electrodes is demonstrated. rGO@EGaIn solution is first deposited over the substrate through spray coating, and then processed through a low‐cost laser (master oscillator power amplifier (MOPA)). This allows simultaneous reduction, thinning, ablation, and high resolution patterning of the deposited films. Surprisingly, it is found that by adjusting the laser parameters, it is possible to make semitransparent conductors via laser thinning of the films. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) spectroscopy confirm that although the rGO/EGaIn weight ratio is only ≈0.08, the composite has a considerably different microstructure compared to the eutectic gallium–indium alloy (EGaIn) particles alone. Graphene oxide (GO) protects the EGaIn from extreme morphology change under laser irradiation. Therefore, various “shades” of rGO@EGaIn can be fabricated in a single film. This allows development of large electrodes with complex geometries in a few seconds. The conductivity, transparency, and reduction of the laser processed films are characterized by several techniques and an example of application is demonstrated by laser patterning a highly sensitive breath‐monitoring sensor.
Although graphene films are the main candidate for replacing scarce and brittle metal‐oxide transparent conductors, the current challenges on graphene deposition and patterning are severely limiting their commercial application. Here, materials and methods that allow large‐scale, efficient, and low‐cost fabrication of highly transparent conductors in a few minutes are demonstrated. First, a low‐cost graphene oxide (GO) solution through spray coating is deposited, followed by simultaneous reduced graphene oxide reduction and thinning through a low‐cost nanosecond fiber laser. It is shown that a 1064 nm master oscillator power amplifier laser enhances the conductivity of GO coated sample by ≈60 times, with excellent optical transparency of 90%. The laser parameters are adjusted, and creation of various shades of transparency, conductivity, and a full ablation are demonstrated. This way, complex GO‐based circuits can be produced rapidly. Compared to the existing techniques that require chemical vapor deposition, and chemical/thermal reduction, this technique is considerably more accessible, replicable, and can open doors for various applications in optoelectronics, energy storage/harvesting, and sensing. The electrical, chemical, and optical properties of the samples are characterized before and after laser treatment, through optical profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, and (UV, Raman, and energy dispersive X‐ray) spectroscopy and applications in transparent conductors, and laser‐patterned high‐resolution and miniaturized interdigitated sensors are shown.
Semitransparent and Conductive Electrodes In article number 2101238, Mahmoud Tavakoli and colleagues demonstrate that graphene oxide‐coated liquid metal nanoparticles can be transformed to semitransparent and conductive electrodes, through a rapid, low‐cost, and scalable laser processing technique. The authors used an infrared laser source for simultaneous laser sintering, thinning, and ablation of reduced graphene oxide coated eutectic gallium‐indium alloy films, and demonstrated their application in fabrication of a high‐resolution, semitransparent sensor for human breath monitoring.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
customersupport@researchsolutions.com
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.