Photo-Mediated Cascade Growth of Ag Nanocrystals in Flow Reactors for High-Performance Flexible Transparent Electrodes

Photo-mediated synthesis wielding localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of nanoscale metal is widely applied to sculpt silver (Ag) nanocrystals with controllable dimensions and morphologies. However, this photo-mediated strategy remains underutilized owing to low efficiency and inferior quality in conventional batch reactors. Here, the effective synthesis of Ag nanocrystals is demonstrated via flow reactors and elucidates the photo-mediated anisotropic growth mechanism. The investigation reveals that the intersection between excitation wavelengths and LSPR of Ag nanocrystals is a prerequisite for their growth. The final morphology is highly correlated with excitation wavelengths, which modulate the redox potential (reaction barrier) of Ag nanocrystals featuring distinct defective structures. Thus, by utilizing tandem-connected flow reactors, size-controllable Ag nanoplates can be yielded in a highly efficient cascade growth manner. In addition, composite conductive ink (submicron/nano-Ag particles) is employed to create high-performance flexible transparent electrodes. A sixfold conductivity enhancement especially under low sintering temperature (<80 degrees C), along with superior transmittance (over 90%), and distinguished cyclic durability (negligible resistance change over 1000 cycles) are achieved simultaneously. The study not only establishes comprehensive insights into the acquisition of well-defined Ag nanocrystals in flow reactors but also ushers in enormous feasibility toward high-performance and cost-effective flexible electronics.

Automated summary

The efficient synthesis of silver nanocrystals via flow reactors and the photo-mediated anisotropic growth mechanism are investigated. The intersection between excitation wavelengths and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of silver nanocrystals is found to be crucial for their growth. Size-controllable silver nanoplates can be yielded in a highly efficient cascade growth manner using tandem-connected flow reactors. Additionally, high-performance flexible transparent electrodes with enhanced conductivity, superior transmittance, and distinguished cyclic durability are achieved using composite conductive ink.