Extremely Foldable and Highly Transparent Nanofiber-Based Electrodes for Liquid Crystal Smart Devices.

ABSTRACT: The nylon 6 nanofiber-reinforced cellulose acetate (NF-r-CA) film as a fiber-based transparent substrate is used to develop the highly transparent electrodes with excellent durable and extremely foldable properties. Mechanical properties of the NF-r-CA films are greatly improved, suggesting that the nanofibers provide an effective reinforcement. The NF-r-CA transparent films show smooth surface morphologies (R_RMS ~ 27?nm) than as-spun nylon 6 nanofiber membrane, indicating the successful infiltration of cellulose acetate into the voids of nylon nanofiber membranes. The NF45-r-CA electrodes prepared using AgNWs concentration of 0.025?wt% and electrospinning time of 45?min are highly transparent (~90%), lower sheet resistance (~24 ? sq^-1) and mechanically robust (59.7?MPa). The sheet resistance of NF45-r-CA electrodes remains almost constant, and the change ratio is less than 0.01% even after a repeated bending test of 10,000 cycles (bending radius ~1?mm), whereas ITO electrode shows gradual increase in sheet resistance and then eventually no electrical signal at about 270 cycles. We also demonstrate the successful fabrication of the foldable polymer-disperse liquid crystal film utilizing highly transparent NF45-r-CA electrode, which shows outstanding working stability after bending test of 500 cycles at an extreme bending radius of 1.5?mm.

SUBMITTER: Kim IC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6070569 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature