All-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1

Abstract Transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) are essential components in devices such as touch screens, smart windows, and photovoltaics. Metal nanowire networks are promising next-generation TCEs, but best-performing examples rely on expensive metal catalysts (palladium or platinum), vacuum pr...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Steven J. DiGregorio, Collin E. Miller, Kevin J. Prince, Owen J. Hildreth, Lance M. Wheeler
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2022-12-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25080-x
_version_ 1811188218039631872
author Steven J. DiGregorio
Collin E. Miller
Kevin J. Prince
Owen J. Hildreth
Lance M. Wheeler
author_facet Steven J. DiGregorio
Collin E. Miller
Kevin J. Prince
Owen J. Hildreth
Lance M. Wheeler
author_sort Steven J. DiGregorio
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) are essential components in devices such as touch screens, smart windows, and photovoltaics. Metal nanowire networks are promising next-generation TCEs, but best-performing examples rely on expensive metal catalysts (palladium or platinum), vacuum processing, or transfer processes that cannot be scaled. This work demonstrates a metal nanowire TCE fabrication process that focuses on high performance and simple fabrication. Here we combined direct and plating metallization processes on electrospun nanowires. We first directly metallize silver nanowires using reactive silver ink. The silver catalyzes subsequent copper plating to produce Ag–Cu core–shell nanowires and eliminates nanowire junction resistances. The process allows for tunable transmission and sheet resistance properties by adjusting electrospinning and plating time. We demonstrate state-of-the-art, low-haze TCEs using an all-atmospheric process with sheet resistances of 0.33 Ω sq−1 and visible light transmittances of 86% (including the substrate), leading to a Haacke figure of merit of 652 × 10–3 Ω−1. The core–shell nanowire electrode also demonstrates high chemical and bending durability.
first_indexed 2024-04-11T14:16:38Z
format Article
id doaj.art-7c9d55468b3f437aa7aaa00239374d08
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2045-2322
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-11T14:16:38Z
publishDate 2022-12-01
publisher Nature Portfolio
record_format Article
series Scientific Reports
spelling doaj.art-7c9d55468b3f437aa7aaa00239374d082022-12-22T04:19:24ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222022-12-011211910.1038/s41598-022-25080-xAll-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1Steven J. DiGregorio0Collin E. Miller1Kevin J. Prince2Owen J. Hildreth3Lance M. Wheeler4National Renewable Energy LaboratoryColorado School of MinesNational Renewable Energy LaboratoryColorado School of MinesNational Renewable Energy LaboratoryAbstract Transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) are essential components in devices such as touch screens, smart windows, and photovoltaics. Metal nanowire networks are promising next-generation TCEs, but best-performing examples rely on expensive metal catalysts (palladium or platinum), vacuum processing, or transfer processes that cannot be scaled. This work demonstrates a metal nanowire TCE fabrication process that focuses on high performance and simple fabrication. Here we combined direct and plating metallization processes on electrospun nanowires. We first directly metallize silver nanowires using reactive silver ink. The silver catalyzes subsequent copper plating to produce Ag–Cu core–shell nanowires and eliminates nanowire junction resistances. The process allows for tunable transmission and sheet resistance properties by adjusting electrospinning and plating time. We demonstrate state-of-the-art, low-haze TCEs using an all-atmospheric process with sheet resistances of 0.33 Ω sq−1 and visible light transmittances of 86% (including the substrate), leading to a Haacke figure of merit of 652 × 10–3 Ω−1. The core–shell nanowire electrode also demonstrates high chemical and bending durability.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25080-x
spellingShingle Steven J. DiGregorio
Collin E. Miller
Kevin J. Prince
Owen J. Hildreth
Lance M. Wheeler
All-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1
Scientific Reports
title All-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1
title_full All-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1
title_fullStr All-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1
title_full_unstemmed All-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1
title_short All-atmospheric fabrication of Ag–Cu core–shell nanowire transparent electrodes with Haacke figure of merit >600 × 10–3 Ω−1
title_sort all atmospheric fabrication of ag cu core shell nanowire transparent electrodes with haacke figure of merit 600 10 3 ω 1
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-25080-x
work_keys_str_mv AT stevenjdigregorio allatmosphericfabricationofagcucoreshellnanowiretransparentelectrodeswithhaackefigureofmerit600103ō1
AT collinemiller allatmosphericfabricationofagcucoreshellnanowiretransparentelectrodeswithhaackefigureofmerit600103ō1
AT kevinjprince allatmosphericfabricationofagcucoreshellnanowiretransparentelectrodeswithhaackefigureofmerit600103ō1
AT owenjhildreth allatmosphericfabricationofagcucoreshellnanowiretransparentelectrodeswithhaackefigureofmerit600103ō1
AT lancemwheeler allatmosphericfabricationofagcucoreshellnanowiretransparentelectrodeswithhaackefigureofmerit600103ō1