Silver Nanowires with Pristine Graphene Oxidation Barriers for Stable and High Performance Transparent Conductive Films

Abstract

One-dimensional (1D) silver nanowires (AgNWs) have emerged as a leading candidate for the development of next-generation optoelectronic and wearable electronic devices. However, a key limitation of AgNW electrodes is that they are readily oxidized, resulting in a shift in properties leading to devices becoming erratic over time. To address this problem, we report a facile method to improve both the stability and performance of AgNW films. The AgNWs were combined with pristine graphene (pG) using an optimal (30/70 wt %) with the goals to prove that the pG sheets can provide a barrier shielding to protect against AgNW oxidation and have the additional benefit of improving the connections between wires and stability of the films. The fabrication of these films was demonstrated on wide range of substrates including glass, plastic, textile, and paper. A surface resistance of 18.23 Ω/sq and an optical transparency of 89% were obtained on the glass substrates, 50 Ω/sq and 88% transparency for poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and 0.35 Ω/sq resistance on the textile substrate. Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJ) treatment was further used to enhance the performance of the film (i.e., glass), resulting in a significant reduction of 30.6% in sheet resistance (15.20 Ω/sq) and an improvement of transparency to 91%. The stability of AgNW/pG film under environmental conditions and higher temperatures was significantly improved, showing only a minor increase in the sheet resistance after 30 days and at temperature increases up to 300 °C when compared with control (AgNW film) which shows a sharp increase after 8−10 days and is thermally stable until 150 °C as a result of Ag oxidation.