Copper (Cu)-based flexible transparent electrodes (FTEs) are promising in the field of flexible electronics for its low-cost and theoretical high-performance. But the existing Cu-based FTEs, mainly Cu nanowires network or Cu grids (CuGs), suffer two main drawbacks: i) the lack of simple and effective approach for high-performance and low-cost Cu-based FTEs, and ii) poor oxidation resistance, which hinders their use in practical applications.
Recently, Dr. Hongliang Liu and Prof. Lei Jiang's group at Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry of Chinese Academy of Sciences and Prof. Mingzhu Liu's group at Lanzhou University have reported a facile approach to fabricate high-performance and stable low-cost CuGs-based FTEs by UV lithography-assisted electroless deposition of patterned Cu on flexible polyethylene terephthalate, which is then encapsulated by a thin ionogel layer to improve the mechanical flexibility and stability. The as-prepared composite FTE exhibits sheet resistance of 10.9 Ω sq-1 and optical transmittance of 90% at 550 nm. Introduction of the thin uniform ionogel nanofilm by virtue of the superwettability of the Cu layer endows the electrode with excellent mechanical flexibility and stability. This new high-performance Cu-based FTE should be attractive alternative to indium tin oxide for practical optoelectrical applications.
Figure. Fabrication of ionogel/CuG@PET composite FTEs.
The study entitled “Ionogel/Copper Grid Composites for High-Performance, Ultra-Stable Flexible Transparent Electrodes” has been published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Link: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021%2FACSAMI.8B09023
E-mail: liuhl@mail.ipc.ac.cn
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