Scalable Fabrication of Metallic Nanofiber Network via Templated Electrodeposition for Flexible Electronics

Abstract

Metallic nanofiber networks (MNFNs) are very promising for next-generation flexible transparent electrodes (TEs) since they can retain outstanding optical and electrical properties during bending due to their ultralong and submicron profile. However, it is still challenging to achieve cost-effective and highthroughput fabrication of MNFNs with reliable and consistent performance. Here, a cost-effective method is reported to fabricate high-performance MNFN-TEs via templated electrodeposition and imprint transfer. The fabricated electrodeposition template has a trilayer structure of glass/indium tin oxide/SiO 2 with nanotrenches in the insulating SiO 2 that can be utilized for repeated electrodeposition of the MNFNs, which are then transferred to flexible substrates. The fabricated TEs exhibit excellent optical transmittance (>84%) and electrical conductivity (<0.9 Ω sq −1 ) and show desirable mechanical flexibility with a sheet resistance <2 Ω sq −1 under a bending radius of 3 mm. Meanwhile, the MNFN-TEs reproduced from the reusable template show consistent and reliable performance. Additionally, this template-based method can realize the direct patterning of MNFN-TEs with arbitrary conductive patterns by selective masking of the template. As a demonstration, a flexible dynamic electroluminescent display is fabricated using TEs made by this method, and the light-emitting pattern is observable from both sides.

Vacuum-Free Fabrication of Transparent Electrodes for Soft Electronics

“…[41,78] The high optical transmittance and superior conductivity of fabricated soft TEs using transfer printing ensure the high performance of soft electronic devices. [15,41,78,86]…”

Transformation of oxide ceramic textiles from insulation to conduction at room temperature

“…With this in mind, we verified the effects of Li salts in the diffusion solvent on the conductivity. Here, 0.1 M concentration of LiPF 6 in DMAc was used, and the test time was set as 1 min. As shown in Fig.…”

“…One-dimensional structures such as fibers promise to solve the brittleness problem of oxide ceramics. Especially when the diameter of the fiber decreases from micrometer to nanometer, the size refinement will endow nanofibers (NFs) unique mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties (6)(7)(8). Recently, we developed a polymer template synthesis strategy to fabricate soft oxide NF textiles via an electrospinning method followed by calcination, which exhibited advantages of versatility, scalability, and controllability (9)(10)(11)(12)(13).…”

Electrospinning: A promising technique for drug delivery systems

“…Nowadays, hundreds of papers exhibit the preparation, synthesis, modification, and functionalization of micro and nanofibers, mainly polymers, blends and composites. These publications include a vast number of electrospun materials for applications such as elastic and flexible electronics [4][5][6][7] magnetics [8,9], energy by producing high-performance membranes for fuel cells, thanks to the capability in sustaining proton conductivity and reduce methanol permeability [10], applications in solid oxide fuel cells electrodes [11,12]. Also, materials fabricated by ES are intensely studied for wastewater treatment such as heavy metal ion adsorption, removal of dye contaminants, water purification, etc.…”