Analysis of transparent conductive silver nanowire films from dip coating flow

Silver nanowires are a promising nanomaterial for the fabrication of transparent flexible conductive films. Due to their fascinating properties, numerous studies have been done to determine the relationship among nanowire properties, micro-network structure, and opto-electronic properties, such as transparency and conductivity.1,2 However, most previous studies have used methods that are not suitable for mass production, such as vacuum filtration. To produce the film economically, it is advisable to use a solution process, e.g., a liquid coating method. In this study, we use a simple dip coating method to produce the film using a coating solution, which disperses nanowires in isopropyl alcohol. The amount of nanowires on the film is carefully controlled by the wet film thickness predicted from computational analysis. The important parameters of nanowire networks, such as the diameter, the aspect ratio, and the areal coverage of nanowires are measured directly from image analysis of the electron microscopy images. Finally, the relationship among those parameters and opto-electronic properties is examined in detail.