Bending reliability of flexible transparent electrode of gravure offset printed invisible silver-grid laminated with conductive polymer

Abstract

Invisible Ag-grid transparent electrodes at a line width of the Ag-grid of 5 μm and a line thickness of 0.6 μm have been prepared on a flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) film substrate by a conventional gravure offset printing using our newly developed Ag nanoparticle ink. Furthermore, the Ag-grid electrodes were laminated with a poly(3,4‑ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) layer. The bending flexibilities and repeated bending durabilities of the transparent electrodes have been investigated via bending tests. The Ag-grid laminated with PEDOT:PSS electrode shows no noticeable resistance change until the electrode is bended to an outer bending radius of 1.3 mm. Moreover, the Ag-grid laminated with PEDOT:PSS electrode shows no noticeable resistance change throughout the 10,000 outer bending cycles at a bending radius of 1.5 mm. The results show that the laminating with PEDOT:PSS enhances the bending reliability of the transparent electrodes.