Nanowire-Based Transparent Conductive Electrodes

Abstract

For decades, transparent conductive electrodes (TCEs) have been widely used in various applications owing to their high optical transmittance and excellent electrical conductivity. Despite indium tin oxide (ITO) being the most commonly used TCE nowadays, developing the potential substitution materials of ITO is necessary due to the (1) high cost of indium and (2) the brittleness of ITO film, which makes ITO film difficult to use in flexible substrates. In recent years, the intensive development of nanotechnology leads the growth of nanostructured TCEs because of their high surface area, enhanced active sites, and shortened diffusion distances. This chapter starts at briefly introducing the principles and requirements of TCEs, followed by reviewing and comparing the synthetic methodologies and physical properties of various nanostructured TCEs such as transparent conductive oxides (TCOs), single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), and metallic nanowires. The applications based on those TCEs, such as photovoltaic devices, light-emitting diodes (LED), touch panels, smart windows, and transparent heaters, are also discussed.