One-step synthesis of ultra-high aspect ratio silver nanowires for high-performance flexible transparent conductive films

Silver nanowires (AgNWs) are promising candidate materials for flexible transparent conductive films (FTCFs), which are key parts in fabricating flexible optoelectronic devices. In the present work, we developed a modified polyol method, allowing simple and rapid synthesis of AgNWs with an ultra-high aspect ratio up to 2600, by adjusting the concentration of Cl− and Br−. Further, AgNWs–mixed cellulose ester membrane (MCE) FTCFs by vacuum filtration method were fabricated, exhibiting low sheet resistance of 6.53 Ω/sq and transmittance of 83.20%, which are comparable to those of typical indium tin oxide electrodes. Also, mechanical robustness results show the sheet resistance of the AgNWs–MCE film increased 16 and 2.8% after 300 times bending tests and 100 times of adhesion tests, respectively.