C3nano Inc.

Ekc Technology Inc.

Melburne C LeMieux

Ying-Syi Li

Ajay Virkar

Xiqiang Yang

Dennis R McKean

Dennis Mckean

Reduction/oxidation reagents have been found to be effective to chemically cure a sparse metal nanowire film into a fused metal nanostructured network through evidently a ripening type process. The resulting fused network can provide desirable low sheet resistances while maintaining good optical transparency. The transparent conductive films can be effectively applied as a single conductive ink or through sequential forming of a metal nanowire film with the subsequent addition of a fusing agent. The fused metal nanowire films can be effectively patterned, and the patterned films can be useful in devices, such as touch sensors.

Fused metal nanostructured networks, fusing solutions with reducing agents and methods for forming metal networks

Metal nanowires, such as silver nanowires coated on a substrate were sintered together to form fused metal nanowire networks that have greatly improved conductivity while maintaining good transparency and low haze. The method of forming such a fused metal nanowire networks are disclosed that involves exposure of metal nanowires to various fusing agents on a short timescale. The resulting sintered network can have a core-shell structure in which metal halide forms the shell. Additionally, effective methods are described for forming patterned structure with areas of sintered metal nanowire network with high conductivity and areas of un-sintered metal nanowires with low conductivity. The corresponding patterned films are also described. When formed into a film, materials comprising the metal nanowire network demonstrate low sheet resistance while maintaining desirably high levels of optical transparency with low haze, making them suitable for transparent electrode, touch sensors, and other electronic/optical device formation.

Metal nanostructured networks and transparent conductive material

A method of forming a transparent electrically conductive film including depositing a dispersion of metal nanowires onto a substrate surface, delivering a solution including a fusing agent in a solvent onto the substrate surface, and drying the substrate surface after depositing the metal nanowires and delivering the fusing agent solution to fuse at least some of the metal nanowires into the transparent electrically conductive film comprising a fused metal nanowire network.

Metal nanowire networks and transparent conductive material

Metal nanowires, such as silver nanowires coated on a substrate were fused together to form fused metal nanowire networks that have greatly improved conductivity while maintaining good transparency. Materials formed form the fused metal nanowire networks described herein can have a transparency to visible light of at least about 85% and a sheet resistance of no more than about 100 Ohms/square or a transparency to visible light of at least about 90% and a sheet resistance of no more than about 250 Ohms/square. The method of forming such a fused metal nanowire networks are disclosed that involves exposure of metal nanowires to various fusing agents on a short timescale. When formed into a film, materials comprising the metal nanowire network demonstrate low sheet resistance while maintaining desirably high levels of optical transparency, making them suitable for transparent electrode formation.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Melburne C LeMieux