Electrical performance of the embedded-type surface electrodes containing carbon and silver nanowires as fillers and one-step organosoluble polyimide as a matrix

Embedded-type surface electrodes with silver nanowire (AgNW) and carbon nanotube (CNT) as conductive fillers and organosoluble polyimide (PI) as a matrix were investigated for their electrical conductivity and electrical durability under cyclic bending. The chosen polyimide was constituted with 4,4′-oxydiphthalic dianhydride and 2,2-bis(3-amino-4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane through a one-step process. Two types of surface electrodes of CNT/PI and AgNW/PI were prepared at 90 °C. The flexible CNT/PI and AgNW/PI surface electrodes not only had high electrical conductivities of 6.3 and 100 S/cm, respectively, after 30 spraying cycles but also kept electrical durability after 1200-time bending tests. The ITO-coated ITO/PI and ITO/AgNW/PI electrodes, for a comparative purpose, had severe electrical failure under cyclic bending.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights► CNT/PI and AgNW/PI surface electrodes were made at 90 °C, not imidization at 300 °C. ► The low-temperature process can integrate with other devices for flexible electronics. ► The electrodes were made by CNT or AgNW solution spraying and PI solution casting. ► AgNW/PI electrodes had electrical conductivity of 100 S/cm. ► AgNW/PI electrodes afford 1500 bending cycles without electrical failure.