Stretchable conductors based on nanoporous Ag for flexible sensors

Abstract

Conductive filler is essential to fabricate stretchable conductors for flexible electronics. In this paper, a novel kind of conductive filler, regularly nanoporous Ag (NP–Ag) is synthesized using a method called “complexation coprecipitation-rapid reduction”, which offers rapid, facile, and environment-friendly advantages. Owing to the nanoporous feature, the as-prepared conductor containing low contents of NP-Ag can exhibit excellent conductivity. Typically, the fluorine rubber-based conductor containing 45 wt% of NP-Ag can maintain a conductivity as high as 1578 S cm−1, while the composite loaded with the same content of fashionable filler (commercial Ag micro-flakes) remains non-conductive. Utilizing this conductor, a strain sensor with excellent sensitivity and repeatability can be fabricated conveniently. The synthetic advantages and regular porosity would make those microstructures a filler candidate for preparing large-area, low-cost, and high-through stretchable conductors.