Inkjet-Printed Silver Nanowire Ink for Flexible Transparent Conductive Film Applications

The development of flexible transparent conductive electrodes has been considered as a key issue in realizing flexible functional electronics. Inkjet printing provides a new opportunity for the manufacture of FFE due to simple process, cost-effective, environmental friendliness, and digital method to circuit pattern. However, obtaining high concentration of inkjet- printed silver nanowires (AgNWs) conductive ink is a great challenge because the high aspect ratio of AgNWs makes it easy to block the jetting nozzle. This study provides an inkjet printing AgNWs conductive ink with low viscosity and high concentration of AgNWs and good printing applicability, especially without nozzle blockage after printing for more than 4 h. We discussed the effects of the components of the ink on surface tension, viscosity, contact angle as well as droplet spreading behavior. Under the optimized process and formulation of ink, flexible transparent conductive electrode with a sheet resistance of 32 ohm center dot sq(-1)-291 nm center dot sq(-1) and a transmittancy at 550 nm of 72.5-86.3% is achieved. We investigated the relationship between the printing layer and the sheet resistance and the stability of the sheet resistance under a bending test as well as the infrared thermal response of the AgNWs-based flexible transparent conductive electrode. We successfully printed the coupling electrodes and demonstrated the excellent potential of inkjet-printed AgNWs-based flexible transparent conductive electrode for developing flexible functional electronics.

Automated summary

This study proposes a high concentration silver nanowires (AgNWs) conductive ink for inkjet printing, which enables the fabrication of flexible transparent conductive electrodes with low resistance and high transparency. The relationship between the printing layer and the conductivity, as well as the stability and thermal response of the electrode, are investigated. The results demonstrate the potential of inkjet-printed AgNWs-based flexible transparent conductive electrodes for developing flexible functional electronics.