Chapter 23 - Nanomaterials for flexible transparent conductive films and optoelectronic devices

Abstract

Transparent conductive film (TCF) electrodes are essential components in many electronic devices, including touchscreens, liquid crystal displays, photovoltaic devices, electrochromic devices, and light emitting devices, among others. To date the TCF electrode of choice is indium tin oxide (ITO) owing to its outstanding optoelectronic properties. During the past two decades there have been ongoing efforts to replace ITO with flexible, stretchable, and low weight alternative materials such as conducting polymers and metal and carbon-based nanostructures. This chapter summarizes the recent advances in fabricating TCFs based on various nanomaterials including carbon nanotubes, graphene, metal nanowires (e.g., AgNWs and CuNWs), metal nanogrids, metal nanofibers, and hybrid nanomaterials. The chapter discusses various wet and dry methods for fabricating TCFs such as using chemical vapor deposition and solution-based deposition methods. Characterization of such TCFs is discussed based on measurement of percent transmittance and electrical sheet resistance. The chapter highlights the current investigated applications of TCFs in optoelectronic devices.