title: Solution-processed assembly of ultrathin transparent conductive cellulose nanopaper embedding AgNWs.
abstract: Natural biomass based cellulose nanopaper is becoming a promising transparent substrate to supersede traditional petroleum based polymer films in realizing future flexible paper-electronics. Here, ultrathin, highly transparent, outstanding conductive hybrid nanopaper with excellent mechanical flexibility was synthesized by the assembly of nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) using a pressured extrusion paper-making technique. The hybrid nanopaper with a thickness of 4.5 μm has a good combination of transparent conductive performance and mechanical stability using bamboo/hemp NFC and AgNWs cross-linked by hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose (HPMC). The heterogeneous fibrous structure of BNFC/HNFC/AgNWs endows a uniform distribution and an enhanced forward light scattering, resulting in high electrical conductivity and optical transmittance. The hybrid nanopaper with an optimal weight ratio of BNFC/HNFC to AgNWs shows outstanding synergistic properties with a transmittance of 86.41% at 550 nm and a sheet resistance of 1.90 ohm sq(-1), equal to the electronic conductivity, which is about 500 S cm(-1). The BNFC/HNFC/AgNW hybrid nanopaper maintains a stable electrical conductivity after the peeling test and bending at 135° for 1000 cycles, indicating remarkably strong adhesion and mechanical flexibility. Of importance here is that the high-performance and low-cost hybrid nanopaper shows promising potential for electronics application in solar cells, flexible displays and other high-technology products.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Sciences and Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, P. R. China. fengxin@shu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Yaoquan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.forename: Liyi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Shaomei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Miao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miao
authors.forename: Jianhui
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fang