SrVO3-Modified Silver Nanowires Transparent Conductive Film with Enhanced Photoelectric Performance and Optical Stability

Abstract

Silver nanowires transparent conductive film (AgNWs TCF), prized for its optoelectronic properties and flexibility, faces challenges in outdoor, automotive, and UV-exposed environments due to silver oxidation and migration. Modifications to the over-coating layer (OCL) have been explored to enhance performance, but achieving long-term stability remains difficult. Strontium vanadate (SrVO₃, SVO) exhibits excellent conductivity, offers a wider coverage of transparency window in near UV region, and possesses strong anti-oxidation and UV resistance. In this study, SVO nanofibers are employed as modification reagents in the OCL to encapsulate the AgNWs network conductive layer (ANCL). The results reveal that the incorporation of 0.010 wt.% of high-conductivity, high-UV-transparency SVO nanofibers into OCL leads to notable enhancements: a 7.40% reduction in sheet resistance (R_s), a 4.85% decrease in haze (H), and virtually no change in light transmittance at 550 nm (T_vis). Significantly, this structure demonstrates optical stability for more than 500 hours, far outperforming both commercial and unmodified samples. Following prolonged UV exposure, the R_s of the SrVO₃-modified silver nanowires transparent conductive film (AgNWs/SVO TCF) increases by just 48.10% to 46.17 Ω·sq^-1, with only minor reductions in T_vis and H of -1.76% and -1.17%, respectively. In stark contrast, the R_s of the unmodified and commercial AgNWs TCF increase dramatically by 235.30% to 112.33 Ω·sq^-1 and 616.7% to 258.00 Ω·sq^-1, respectively. AgNWs/SVO TCF demonstrates superior optical stability. This method is fully compatible with established processes for preparing AgNWs TCF, and offers promising opportunities and innovative approaches to enhance the optoelectronic performance and optical stability of AgNWs TCF. Additionally, it provides valuable insights for engineering AgNWs TCF specifically for outdoor applications.