Ultrahigh-Temperature-Tolerant NiO@Ag NW-Based Transparent Heater with High Stability, Durability, Ultraflexibility, and Quick Thermal Response

Abstract

High-performance electrical heaters with high transmittance, fast response speed, superior heat resistance, ultraflexibility, high working temperature, and sufficient stabilities are highly desirable for application in heating systems in areas such as healthcare and aerospace. Herein, we demonstrate an ultrahigh-temperature-tolerant flexible transparent heater (FTH) consisting of a NiO@Ag core–shell nanowire (NiO@Ag NW) network and a colorless polyimide (cPI) film. NiO nanoshells are formed uniformly on the surface of Ag NWs through the solution process, which enhances the stability of Ag NWs. The heating behaviors and transmittance can be controlled by the NiO@Ag NW spin-coating cycle. The NiO@Ag NW-based FTHs show a fast thermal response of ∼15 s, a high transmittance of 86.2% in the visible region, and a large thermal figure of merit of 30.7 m2·°C/W under optimal preparation conditions. The saturation temperature of FTHs has barely changed after 20 taping tests and 1000 bending cycles at a bending radius of 0.5 mm. Particularly, the heating temperature of FTHs can reach 266 °C in the air under an applied voltage of 9 V. Moreover, the FTHs possess sufficient heating reliability, stability, and repeatability during the long-term and repeated heating cycles. In addition, the FTHs are resistant to a number of harsh environments.