Nanomaterials (Jul 2024)

Wrinkled TiNAgNW Nanocomposites for High-Performance Flexible Electrodes on TEMPO-Oxidized Nanocellulose

  • Loïk Gence,
  • Franck Quero,
  • Miguel Escalona,
  • Robert Wheatley,
  • Birger Seifert,
  • Donovan Diaz-Droguett,
  • María José Retamal,
  • Sascha Wallentowitz,
  • Ulrich Georg Volkmann,
  • Heman Bhuyan

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/nano14141178
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 14, no. 14
p. 1178

Abstract

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In this study, we present a novel method for fabricating semi-transparent electrodes by combining silver nanowires (AgNW) with titanium nitride (TiN) layers, resulting in conductive nanocomposite coatings with exceptional electromechanical properties. These nanocomposites were deposited on cellulose nanopaper (CNP) using a plasma-enhanced pulsed laser deposition (PE-PLD) technique at low temperatures (below 200 °C). Repetitive bending tests demonstrate that incorporating AgNW into TiN coatings significantly enhances the microstructure, increasing the electrode’s electromechanical robustness by up to four orders of magnitude compared to commercial PET/ITO substrates. Furthermore, the optical and electrical conductivities can be optimized by adjusting the AgNW network density and TiN synthesis temperature. Our results also indicate that the nanocomposite electrodes exhibit improved stability in air and superior adhesion compared to bare AgNW coatings.

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