Carbon nanotube-silver nanowire composite networks on flexible substrates: High reliability and application for supercapacitor electrodes

Abstract

Highly transparent, flexible and conductive networks of carbon nanotubes-silver nanowire networks were formed on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. The high temperature and humidity tests reveal that our CNT-AgNW composite networks maintain high durability and reliability in the electrical and optical properties under high temperature (85 degrees C) and relative humidity (85% R.H.). When bent and flexed over 1000 cycles; the films did not show significant degradation in sheet resistance compared to Ag films and ITOs on the same flexible substrates; demonstrating the superior mechanical stability of our CNT-AgNWs networks. The composite films on PET were employed for supercapacitor electrodes. The supercapacitors demonstrate a mass specific capacitance of 143 Fg(-1) with a stable charge-discharge (3000 cycles) and low internal resistance (16 Omega). Furthermore; the supercapacitors showed high durability under harsh climatic conditions and mechanical bending. Our works indicate that the CNT-AgNWs could be promising transparent conductive electrodes for the applications in flexible optoelectronics and energy storage devices. (C) 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim