PFSA-passivated silver nanowire transparent electrodes for highly flexible organic-light-emitting devices with improved stability.

Instability and large wire-wire contact resistance of silver nanowires (AgNWs) have seriously hindered their practical applications as electrodes in optoelectronic devices. Although various methods have been demonstrated to improve the stability and conductivity of the AgNWs, a simple and low-cost process, especially compatible to the flexible substrates for their applications in flexible devices, is still a challenge. Here, perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) polymer has been employed as a surface-passivation layer on the AgNWs through a simple surface coating. The PFSA passivation can simultaneously improve the conductivity, thermal stability and mechanical stability of the AgNWs. As a result, the PFSA-passivated AgNWs film maintains an almost constant conductivity under ambient condition after heating for 30 min at 250 °C or 10 days storage at room temperature, and 600 continuous bending cycles at a bending radius of 1 mm. The PFSA-passivated AgNWs have been applied to flexibly organic light emitting devices as their electrodes, and both mechanical stability and long-term operational stability have been improved. Image 1 • Simultaneous improvement of conductivity, stability and flexibility. • Excellent thermal and chemical durability. • Suitable for fabricating flexible OLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]