Preparation and Optoelectrical Property of Silver Nanowire Transparent Conductive Film via Slot Die Coating

Silver nanowire transparent conductive films (AgNW TCFs), as the novel transparent electrode materials replacing ITO, are anticipated to be applied in numerous optoelectronic devices, and slot-die coating is currently acknowledged as the most suitable method for the mass production of large-sized AgNW TCFs. In this study, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), as film-forming aids, and AgNWs, as conductive materials, were utilized to prepare a specialized AgNW ink, and a slot-die coating is employed to print and prepare AgNW TCFs. The optoelectrical properties of AgNW TCFs are optimized by adjusting the compositions of AgNW ink and the process parameters of slot-die coating. The suitable compositions of AgNW ink and the optimal parameters of slot-die coating are a CMC type of V, a PVA volume of 1 mL, a AgNW volume of 1.5 mL, a volume ratio of 30 and 45 nm AgNWs (2:1), and a coating height of 400 μm. The resultant AgNW TCFs achieve excellent comprehensive optoelectronic performance, with a sheet resistance of less than 50 Ω/sq, a visible light transmittance exceeding 92%, and a haze below 1.8%. This research provides a valuable approach to producing AgNW TCFs on a large scale via the slot-die coating.