Flexible, transparent, and conductive film based on random networks of Ag nanowires

Abstract

Flexible, transparent, and conductive films based on random networks of Ag nanowires were prepared by vacuum-filtrating method. The size of Ag nanowires prepared by hydrothermal method is uniform, with a relatively smaller diameter and a longer length, thereby achieving a high aspect ratio (>1000). The films fabricated by Ag nanowires exhibit the excellent transparency with a 92% optical transmittance and a low surface resistivity of 11 Ωsq -1. Importantly, both the transmittance and sheet resistance decrease with the increasing of the Ag nanowires contents. When the contents of Ag nanowires are up to 200 mg/m2 especially, the surface resistivity quickly falls below 5 Ωsq-1. Also, these films are robust, which have almost no change in sheet resistance after the repeating bends over 200 cycles. These encouraging results may have a potential application in flexible and transparent electronics and other heating systems. © 2013 Shunhua Wang et al.