An Ultradurable and Uniform Cu Electrode by Blending Carbon Nanotube Fillers in Copper‐Based Metal–Organic Decomposition Ink for Flexible Printed Electronics.

Abstract: Cu‐based metal–organic decomposition (MOD) ink is widely studied for printed electronics owing to its cost‐effectiveness and low‐temperature processing. The main purpose of using a low‐temperature processible Cu MOD ink is to fabricate flexible wearable devices. However, most researches are focused on enhancing the uniformity and conductivity of the formed electrode rather than increasing the durability. This paper presents an ultradurable and uniform Cu flexible electrode using a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) filler‐blended Cu MOD ink. This MOD ink is synthesized through a facile sonication‐based mixing method. The MWCNT enhances not only the uniformity of the Cu electrode by providing a heterogeneous nucleation site but also the durability of the electrode due to mechanical robustness of MWCNT. With an optimum MWCNT content (1.0 wt%), the Cu/MWCNT film exhibits a resistivity of 25.31 µΩ cm and a resistance increase of only 1.66 times after the 150 000 times bending test with 2.6 mm of bending radius. It is expected that this Cu/MWCNT nanocomposite electrode can be used for practical applications because of its easy preparation, and its improved quality and durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]