Transparent Conductive Flexible Trilayer Films for a Deicing Window and Self-Recover Bending Sensor Based on a Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube/Polyvinyl Butyral Interlayer

Abstract

A flexible transparent conductive film (TCF) is an important component in many modern smart devices. Recent TCF is always fabricated based on indium tin oxide (ITO). However, the drawbacks of ITO (e.g., brittle nature, high cost, and resource scarcity) and the complex preparation process of TCF limit the massive production and further application of TCF. Herein, a facile and low-cost method is proposed to prepare flexible TCF. Rolls of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs)/polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer film were first fabricated by the roll-to-roll (R2R) spraying method. Then, the interlayer film was laminated between polycarbonate (PC) films (0.1 mm in thickness) to fabricate a transparent (80% optical transmittance) but flexible trilayer film. Such a prepared trilayer film shows multifunctional applications. For example, on the one hand, high conductivity and uniform distribution of resistance ensure that it can work as a deicing window with good performance at a low voltage. On the other hand, its flexibility, rapid self-recovery, and stable response enable it to be used as a bending sensor, which shows remarkable stability, repeatability, and durability. This study provides a facile method to fabricate TCF based on commercial but low-cost materials, which is suitable for industrial production and wide practical applications.

Au Nanoparticle Monolayer Nanosheets as Flexible Transparent Conductive Electrodes

“…Flexible and transparent conductive electrodes are vital for the development of advanced optical and electronic devices and organic electronics including sensors, light-emitting diodes, displays, and solar cells. − Fluorine- and indium-doped tin oxide films are the most commonly used transparent conductive electrodes, although they are brittle against bending and thus have inherently low flexibility. − To overcome this problem, noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) or one-dimensional ultrathin nanowires (NWs) − with grid-structured arrays on appropriate substrates have been identified as promising fundamental materials to fabricate flexible transparent conductive films. − , However, for the grids to be conductive, the postprocess of removing insulating organic compounds from the NP surfaces is inevitable. ,,− Although the grid pattern technique requires postprocessing to achieve electrical conductivity, utilizing metal NPs to fabricate transparent conductive films remains a fascinating strategy due to the various synthesis protocols available for different metal NP sizes.…”

Biomimetic Hierarchically Silver Nanowire Interwoven MXene Mesh for Flexible Transparent Electrodes and Invisible Camouflage Electronics

“…The pattern below can be seen clearly, indicating that transparent electrodes have good light transmittance. Figure i shows comparison of optoelectronic property in this work and previous reported works, and the hierarchically AgNWs’ interwoven MXene mesh has higher transmittance and smaller sheet resistance as well as remarkably high FoM. − ,,,− The FoM of FTEs can reach over 3500, while the FoM reported in a previous work is usually below 1000. As far as we know, the FTEs are one of the best FTEs among reported works.…”

“…Flexible transparent electrodes (FTEs) are essentially indispensable component in optoelectronic devices, such as smart touch screens, perovskite solar cells/light emitting diodes, electrochromic windows, thin film transistors (TFTs), E-skins, photodetectors, and so on. − One of the inherent challenges in developing high-performance FTEs is the incompatibility between high transmittance and low resistance because the low sheet resistance relies on high mobility carriers, which inevitably interact with light that reduce transmittance. Indium tin oxide (ITO) based transparent electrodes have been widely used for commercial purposes over the past half century due to their excellent compatibility in conductivity and transparency. , However, with the blooming development of wearable optoelectronics and invisible camouflage electronics, flexibility and stability of FTEs play an increasingly important role, and the brittleness of ITO has severely limited the development of FTEs, In the past decades, a variety of materials including conducting polymers, , carbon nanotubes (CNTs), − graphene, − and metal nanowires , have been explored as ITO alternatives. Unfortunately, whereas mechanical flexibility of FTEs has been relatively improved, the optoelectronic performance is still far behind to replace ITO due to “trade-off” effect.…”

Farming‐Inspired Continuous Fabrication of Grating Flexible Transparent Film with Anisotropic Conductivity

“…This should be ascribed to the fact that hot pressing can flatten the uneven surface of PC film with microgrooves containing silver particles, which reduce light reflection and further increase light transmission. [ 48 ]…”