Improve the surface of silver nanowire transparent electrode using a double-layer structure for the quantum-dot light-emitting diodes

Abstract

We developed a double-layer structured transparent electrode for use in flexible quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). Silver nanowires (AgNWs) and highly conductive poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) were coated on a transparent substrate to obtain a highly conductive and flexible transparent electrode. The highly conductive PEDOT:PSS improved the surface roughness of the AgNWs transparent electrode film as well as the surface coverage area of the film. The double-layer structured transparent electrode showed superior mechanical properties than conventional indium-tin oxide (ITO) and AgNWs transparent electrodes. QLEDs with the double-layer structured transparent electrode also showed good reliability under cyclic bending conditions. These results indicate that the double-layer structured AgNWs/ PEDOT:PSS transparent electrode described here is a feasible alternative to ITO transparent electrodes for flexible QLEDs.

A review of silver nanowire-based composites for flexible electronic applications

“…Ag NWs in tandem with PEDOT:PSS has been reported as transparent electrodes for LED application [175]. The PEDOT:PSS helped in smoothening the electrode, and the device performance was comparable to those fabricated with ITO electrodes.…”

Flexible and Transparent Electrode of Hybrid Ti3C2TX MXene–Silver Nanowires for High-Performance Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diodes

“…These components are suitable for wearable and patchable applications such as photovoltaic energy harvesters, human interactive sensors, and displays. , Flexible and transparent electrodes (FTEs) have been extensively explored, in particular for developing high-performance flexible displays based on self-light-emitting devices, such as quantum dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), and polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs); , these devices can be readily combined with diverse solution processes for scalable, large-area applications. Based on a variety of solution-processable low-dimensional nanoscale conductors, such as carbon nanotubes, , reduced graphene oxides, − and silver nanowires (AgNWs), − a comparison of various solution-processable FTEs with sufficiently high conductivity and the conductivity of commercially available rigid indium tin oxide (ITO) − has been demonstrated. The results are unsatisfactory owing to various material and technological limitations such as low conductivity (high surface resistance) and poor film quality caused by intrinsic structural defects and numerous physical junctions of nanoconductors required for percolated networks. ,, …”