Computational characterization and control of electrical conductivity of nanowire composite network under mechanical deformation

Jinyoung Hwang,Sang Hyun Lee,Hiesang Sohn

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-34992-6

Jinyoung Hwang, Sang Hyun Lee + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-34992-6

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Abstract

Quantitative models to predict the electrical performance of 1-D nanowire (NW) composite networks under external deformation such as bending and patterning are developed by Monte-Carlo based computations, and appropriate solutions are addressed to enhance the tolerance of the sheet resistance (Rs) of the NW networks under the deformation. In addition, several strategies are employed to improve further the robustness of the sheet resistance against the network deformation. In the case of bending, outstanding bending durability of a hybrid NW network coated on a 2-D sheet is confirmed with a numerical model, and a network of NWs aligned unidirectionally toward bend axis is introduced to alleviate the sheet resistance degradation. In the case of a narrowly patterned channel, the conductivity enhancement of a network of NWs aligned in parallel to the channel with reduced channel is validated, and a network made with two types of NWs with different lengths is suggested to enhance the tolerance of the electrical conductivity. The results offer useful design guidelines to the use of the 1-D NW percolation network for flexible transparent conducting electrodes.

Highlights

Flexible transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) are essential components for various modern electronic devices including wearable sensors, flexible displays, batteries and solar cells, etc[1,2,3]
These methods are not straightforwardly extended to account for the resistance change of the NW networks used for TCEs, where the component NWs are made with stiff materials and their yield strengths are much less than carbon nanotube (CNT)
To predict the sheet resistance (Rs) of a 1-D nanowire (NW) percolation network, a random instance of the NW network is generated in a square domain by placing rectangular rods representing NWs such that the width and length of a rod correspond to the diameter and length of a cylindrical NW, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Flexible transparent conducting electrodes (TCEs) are essential components for various modern electronic devices including wearable sensors, flexible displays, batteries and solar cells, etc[1,2,3]. After obtaining a single random instance of the NW network seen in Figure 2 plots the changes in the sheet resistance of the NW network corresponding to the bending radius (R) with the variation in the areal coverage and the length of the NW.

Results

Conclusion