Copper Nanoplates for Printing Flexible High-Temperature Conductors

Copper has attracted immense interest in advanced electronics attributed to its abundance and high electrical and thermal characteristics. However, the ease of oxidation when subjected to heat and humidity drastically limits its material reliability under extreme environments. Here, we utilize copper nanoplates as a building block to achieve a thermally stable (upwards of 1300 degrees C), antioxidation, and anticorrosion-printed conductor, with the capability of additively manufacturing on Corning flexible Alumina Ribbon Ceramic. We elucidate the printed copper nanoplates with a low sheet resistance of 4 m Omega/sq/mil by means of a surface-coordinated formate that inculcates high oxidation and corrosion resistance on a molecular level. In addition, an in situ copper-graphene conversion leads to a hybridized conductor displaying stability at elevated temperatures up to 1300 degrees C with high ampacity. Further mechanistic studies reveal high-temperature stability from in situ graphene conversion for copper and graphene interfaces, and preferential stacking of copper nanoplates, distinctly suited for emerging high-temperature flexible electronics.

Automated summary

In this study, copper nanoplates were used as the building blocks to achieve a thermally stable, antioxidation, and anticorrosion-printed conductor on Corning flexible Alumina Ribbon Ceramic. The results showed that the surface-coordinated formate coating improved the oxidation and corrosion resistance of the copper nanoplates, and in situ copper-graphene conversion led to a conductor with high-temperature stability.