A Review on the Deformation Behavior of Silver Nanowire Networks under Many Bending Cycles

Youngjae Seo,Byungil Hwang,Heebo Ha,Paolo Matteini

doi:10.3390/app11104515

Abstract

Silver nanowire networks are attractive for flexible transparent electrodes due to their excellent optical transparency and electrical conductivity. Their mechanical reliability under bending is an important feature for the adoption of silver nanowire transparent electrodes for flexible electronics. Therefore, various studies have been conducted to understand the deformation behavior of silver nanowire networks, which are different from those of bulk silver or silver thin films. The focus of this review is to elucidate the deformation mechanism of silver nanowire networks under high cycles of bending and to present ways to improve the mechanical reliability of silver nanowire transparent electrodes.

Highlights

Silver nanowire networks are attractive for flexible transparent electrodes due to their excellent optical transparency and electrical conductivity
The focus of this review is to elucidate the deformation mechanism of silver nanowire networks under high cycles of bending and to present ways to improve the mechanical reliability of silver nanowire transparent electrodes
With the technological advances in flexible electronics, there is an increasing demand for flexible transparent electrodes that remain stable under repeated deformation, such as bending [1,2]

Summary

Introduction

With the technological advances in flexible electronics, there is an increasing demand for flexible transparent electrodes that remain stable under repeated deformation, such as bending [1,2]. In the work of Kim et al, in situ tensile testing of silver nanowires provided the curvature criterion of the silver nanowire network on the polyimide substrate under a single cycle of tensile strain for up to 4% [27] These studies did not involve in situ observations of changes in resistance and performed a limited number of deformation cycles, making them insufficient to secure the reliability of flexible electronic devices. To overcome these limitations, Hwang et al and Kim et al investigated the in situ deformation behavior of silver nanowire transparent electrodes under repeated deformation, using a cyclic bending tester [28]. This review introduces the fundamentals of a silver nanowire network’s mechanical reliability and the deformation behavior under multiple bending cycles, using a cyclic bending tester

Concept of a Cyclic Bending Tester

Findings

Deformation Mechanism of Silver Nanowire Network under Various Deformations