Simple transfer of Ag nanowires by dry film photoresist for paper-based flexible electronics

In this study, the facile dry transfer of silver nanowires (AgNWs) to a paper substrate using a dry film photoresist (DFR) was explored. No-primer-treated polyethylene terephthalate (NP-PET) with low adhesion strength and DFR were used as the carrier substrate and transfer medium for the AgNWs, respectively. Because of the lower adhesion of DFR to NP-PET than to paper, the DFR-coated AgNWs on NP-PET were successfully transferred to the paper substrate using simple hot pressing. The fabricated AgNW/DFR/paper electrodes were highly reliable without degradation in their electrical conductivity after 1000 bending cycles, and their feasibility as flexible electrodes was confirmed by demonstrating the operation of a light-emitting diode and flexible thin-film heater. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.