Flexible transparent Ag nanowire/UV-curable resin heaters with ultra-flexibility, high transparency, quick thermal response, and mechanical reliability

Abstract

The non-fast thermal response and unstable mechanical properties of flexible transparent heaters (FTHs) make it difficult for them to meet the requirements for wearable electronics. In this paper, the influences of heater thickness and resistance of Ag nanowire networks, on the thermal response, optical and mechanical flexible properties are investigated systematically. The relationships between the mechanisms behind the thermal response (bending behaviors) and the thickness, which is important for enhancing the thermal and flexible performances of FTH, are explored. The optimized Ag NW/UV-curable resin -based FTHs, with a thickness of 2 µm and sheet resistance of 9.9 Ω/□, exhibit a quick thermal response time within 12 s, a high optical transmittance of 86.4% and superior mechanical properties. The resistance of the FTH shows almost no change after bending 1000 times at a curvature radius of 0.5 mm. The fast-heating characteristics associated with its transparency and flexibility make the Ag NW/UV-curable resin -based FTHs a potential candidate in wearable electronics.