Performance characterization of transparent and conductive grids one-step-printed on curved substrates using template-guided foaming

Abstract

Next-generation electronic devices require electrically conductive, mechanically flexible, and optically transparent conducting electrodes (CEs) that can endure large deformations. However, patterning conditions of such CEs have been mainly limited to flat substrates because of the nature of conventional fabrication techniques; thus, comprehensive studies are needed to be conducted on this topic. Herein, we characterize the material and structural properties of CEs, curvature of substrates, and their operational performance. We use a single-step printing method, termed template-guided foaming (TGF), to fabricate flexible transparent conducting electrodes (FTCEs) on various substrates with initial curvatures. We adopted silver nanowires (AgNWs) and a conductive polymer (PEDOT:PSS) to characterize and compare the effect of initial substrate curvatures on the sheet resistance during inward and outward bending. The AgNW-based grids exhibited a considerably low sheet resistance, which was linearly proportional to the working curvature of the substrate, whereas PEDOT:PSS-based grids exhibited a relatively higher sheet resistance, which increased regardless of the initial and working curvatures of the substrate. Although both CE grids exhibited a high flexibility and transmittance during 10 000 cyclic tests, the initial curvature of the substrate affected the sheet resistance; hence, operational conditions of FTCEs must be considered to improve the repeatability and durability of such FTCE-integrated devices. Finally, we believe that our study introduces a novel methodology for the design, fabrication, and operation strategy of flexible electronic devices and wearable devices with high performances.