Silver nanowires: recent advances in synthesis, transparent conductive coatings, and EMI shielding applications

Abstract

Indium tin oxide (ITO) is a broadly utilized transparent conductor, although it possesses several limitations such as high cost and brittleness. This paper investigates silver nanowires (AgNWs) as suitable material due to their improved electrical conductivity, flexibility, and transparency. We investigated several techniques for creating AgNWs, including template, chemical, polyol, and electrochemical approaches. The polyol method is highlighted as very cost-effective and efficient; however, it produces nanoparticle byproducts. We explore changes to the polyol technique that aim to improve yield and purity. The review examines how AgNWs are made, talking about nucleation, phase transitions of silver atoms, and the formation of pentagonal grains. These characteristics show how effectively the polyol approach works for generating high-quality AgNWs on a large scale. We investigated the relationship between AgNW concentration of, the additive's characteristics, and the surface tension and viscosity of the resultant ink, with a focus on how these variables influence different coating processes. The study reviews the process of converting AgNWs into conductive inks for use in transparent conductive films (TCFs), with applications including transparent heaters, touch panels, sensors, solar cell electrodes, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding devices. The research overview concludes with a discussion of potential future directions and the promising role of AgNWs in advancing TCF technologies.