Prof. Byeong-Kwon Ju and ETRI-Sunchon National University researchers develop electrode manufacturing technology for flexible, transparent displays 

"Flexible, transparent display electrodes to be commercialized in 2 to 3 years"

▲ Prof. Byeong-Kwon Ju, School of Electrical Engineering, Korea University

A local research team has developed electrode manufacturing technology for flexible and transparent displays. 

The Ag-based transparent electrode manufacturing technology, expected to be commercialized in two to three years, was proposed by Professor Byeong-Kwon Ju of the School of Electrical Engineering at Korea University, Chan-Hwa Hong of the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) and Professor Joon Seop Kwak of Sunchon National University.  

The results were published in Scientific Reports, a journal by Nature Publishing Group. 

The team replaced indium tin oxide, widely used in existing display panels, with silver nanowires. Indium tin oxide is expensive and brittle, whereas the proposed silver nanowires are known for their excellent electrical conductivity. The small diameter of silver nanowires allows them to be used in transparent electrodes having networked structures. 

However, silver nanowires are less efficient due to the high contact resistance between wires and weak dispersion. The research team resolved these issues using electron beams. 

Nanowires measuring 27.5 mm, roughly 1/3000th the width of a strand of human hair, were subject to electron beam irradiation to produce electrodes with a high permeability of 89% and a low sheet resistance of 50Ω/sq. In the manufacturing process, the team also developed and applied an air-dry process, which facilitates the uniform dispersion of silver nanowires on the substrate using hot air.

Professor Ju said, “The proposed technology will be very useful in enhancing the electrical properties of metal nano-materials. They can be utilized in various displays, touch panels, and flexible electrodes.” 

Hong added, “The technology allows transparent electrodes to be fabricated in a quick and simple manner with silver nanowires as a substitute for indium tin oxide.”