Transparent conductive electrodes comprising merged metal nanowires, their structure design, and method of making such structures

Abstract

Discloses herein is a patterned transparent conductive electrode, comprises a substrate and a substantial single conductive layer on top of the substrate. The single conductive layer comprises a first region having a network of metal nanowires; and a second region, having a metal/metal oxide nanowire in a core shell structure.

1 . A patterned transparent conductive film, comprising
 a substrate;   a substantial single layer on top of the substrate, comprising a first region comprising a network of metal nanowires; and   a second region, comprising a metal/metal oxide nanowire in a core shell structure, wherein the core of the nanowire comprise element metal and the shell of the nanowire comprise metal oxide.   
     
     
         2 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the metal is silver and the metal oxide is silver oxide. 
     
     
         3 . The film of  claim 2 , wherein the metal nanowire of the first region has a diameter of 50 nm or less. 
     
     
         4 . The film of  claim 2 , wherein the metal oxide on the surface of the metal nanowire has a thickness of 5-10 nm. 
     
     
         5 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the refractive index difference between first region and the second region is less than 0.05. 
     
     
         6 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the haze difference between the first region and the second region is less than 0.2%. 
     
     
         7 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the second region has a dimension less than 200 um. 
     
     
         8 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the single layer has a thickness between 50-150 nm. 
     
     
         9 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the second region has no metal nanowire. 
     
     
         10 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the metal/metal oxide core shell structure is formed by the process of contacting the metal nanowire in the first region with oxidizing agent. 
     
     
         11 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the metal nanowire is the first region comprises surface functionalized nanowire, wherein the surface functionalized nanowires are inert to oxidation. 
     
     
         12 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the single layer does not comprise a polymer matrix. 
     
     
         13 . The film of  claim 1 , further comprising
 one or more anti-reflective layers, anti-glare layers, adhesive layers, barriers, hard coat, or a protective film.   
     
     
         14 . A patterned transparent conductive film, comprising
 a substrate;   a substantial single layer on top of the substrate, comprising a first region comprising a network of metal nanowires; and   a second region, comprising at least one nanowire having a junction connected to another nanowire but electrically non-conductive,   wherein the junction comprises metal oxides and   wherein the total thickness of the single layer is about 150 nm or less and the second region has one dimension is 5-10 um or less.   
     
     
         15 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the diameter of the metal nanowire is about 50 nm or less. 
     
     
         16 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the formed by the process of contacting the metal nanowire in the first region with oxidizing agent. 
     
     
         17 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the metal nanowire is the first region comprises surface functionalized nanowire, wherein the surface functionalized nanowires are inert to oxidation. 
     
     
         18 . The film of  claim 1 , wherein the resistivity difference between the first and second region is more than 1000.