Networked Gold‐Nanoparticle Coatings on Polyethylene: Charge Transport and Strain Sensitivity

Abstract

Networked films, comprising gold nanoparticles (ca. 4 nm core diameter) and 1,9‐nonanedithiol, are deposited onto oxidized low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) substrates via layer‐by‐layer self‐assembly. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images reveal a compact coating with a granular, nanoscale morphology. Conductance measurements at variable temperature are consistent with an Arrhenius‐type activation of charge transport (activation energy: 52 meV). The excellent mechanical robustness of the coatings allows for studying their potential application as strain gauges. Expanding the films by up to 3% is accompanied by a reversible and approximately linear increase in resistance of up to approximately 50% (gauge factor ca. 17). Analyzing the results with an activated tunneling model suggests that the average increase in interparticle distances is significantly smaller than the geometric expansion at the substrate surface.

Hairy nanoparticle assemblies as one-component functional polymer nanocomposites: opportunities and challenges

“…[135] The effect of the physical environment on the interparticle distance, and the concurrent effect on the film's electrical or optical properties can also be applied to create strain gauges [136,137] and temperature sensors. [138] The modularity in the HNP design also implies that the nanoparticle core can provide a response to the environment when processability and stability necessitate a common corona design.…”

Gold nanoparticle superlattices: structure and cavities studied by GISAXS and PALS

“…This provides the opportunity to tailor materials with desired properties for various specic applications like resistive [5][6][7] or optical 8,9 strain and vapor sensing, catalysis, 10 nanoelectromechanical systems, 11,12 and surface enhanced Raman scattering.…”

Preparation of gold patterns on polyimide coating via layer-by-layer deposition of gold nanoparticles

“…2). The conductivity of 30.70 X À1 cm À1 from the 20-layer GNPs is much lower than 2 Â 10 3 X À1 cm À1 reported by Musick and coworkers [31], but is higher or much higher than 10 À3 X À1 cm À1 reported by Vossmeyer et al [10], 3.7 Â 10 À3 X À1 cm À1 by Krasteva et al [25] and 0.1 X À1 cm À1 by Brust et al [44]. The high electrical conductivity obtained in this study can again be attributed to the high c-APS (amine) density resulting from water plasma etching and thus, high surface coverage of GNPs, providing fused network structure [26].…”

“…With the recent emergence of organic electronics as a new pathway for future electronic devices, flexible organic electronics have received more attention than ever before [3,4]. For flexible electronics and flexible organic electronics, polymeric substrates such as polyimides [5,6], polyesters [7], polyethylene terephthalates (PET) [8], polystyrenes [9] and LDPE [10] have been evaluated, with polyimides considered to be the most promising material due to their good thermal, mechanical and optical properties [11]. Recently, printing technologies have been combined with flexible electronics, making roll-to-roll processing possible and thus lowering the processing cost [12].…”