Ultra-flexible and transparent electrodes with controllable crack length via metal–polymer hybrid nanostructure

Suhyeon Han, Byeong Kwon Ju, Chanwoo Yang

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

We propose a method for improving the flexibility of transparent electrodes through a mechanism that effectively reduces the crack length under cyclic folding fatigue. Our proposed method is based on the use of a metal–polymer hybrid (MPH) nanostructure composed of indium tin oxide (ITO), Ag, and a fluoropolymer, which are commercially available materials widely used in the display-panel manufacturing industry. For flexible electrodes wherein the MPH nanostructure was adjusted using Ag sputtering powers within the range of 20–50 W, the changes in the resistance after 100,000 folding cycles with a peak strain of 2.5% were 4.57–17.9%, whereas those in the case of the ITO/Ag/ITO (IAI) thin-film electrode, i.e., without the MPH nanostructure, increased dramatically to 11,228%. Through the introduction of the MPH nanostructure, the crack length was significantly reduced to 8.76–88.1 μm compared to that of the IAI thin-film electrode (> 945 μm), and also became controllable through the adjustment of the number density of the MPH nanostructure.

Original languageEnglish
Article number139388
JournalThin Solid Films
Volume757
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2022 Sept 1

Keywords

  • Controllable crack length
  • Crack propagation preventing nanostructure
  • Cyclic bending fatigue
  • Flexible electrodes
  • Nanostructured electrodes
  • Transparent electrodes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Surfaces and Interfaces
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
  • Metals and Alloys
  • Materials Chemistry

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