Improved stability of silver nanowire (AgNW) electrode for high temperature applications using selective photoresist passivation

Abstract Metal nanostructure arrays have been progressed as an alternative to the conventional oxides-based transparent conductive electrodes. Herein, we demonstrate the improved reliability of silver nanowire (AgNW) electrodes by photoresist encapsulation. The incorporation of photoresist followed by photolithography is beneficial to selectively pattern the AgNWs on poly[ether sulfone]. By varying the development or removal time of the ultraviolet (UV)-exposed photoresist, the properties of the AgNWs in the electrode are significantly varied. The optical parameters such as transmittance, haziness, and the yellow index of the electrodes have been extensively studied to reveal the advantage of the selective photoresist patterning. The AgNW electrodes patterned under 120 s of development time explored superior optical and electrical properties with high durability. The electrical properties of the AgNW electrodes at high temperatures (250 °C) demonstrate the photoresist-induced stability as compared to bare samples. Further, the morphological examination after the high temperature treatment reveals the reduced Rayleigh instability effects in 120 s developed AgNWs that facilitate the reliability under harsh conditions.