Effect of carbon nanotube addition on mechanical reliability of Ag nanowire network

In this study, we explored the effect of carbon nanotube (CNT) addition on the mechanical reliabiltiy of Ag nanowire network under cyclic bending. Bending fatigue tests up to 300,000 cycles were performed on a Ag nanowire network with different CNT densities from 0% to 20%. By adding 5 wt% to CNT, fractional resistance of the Ag nanowire network decreased from 4.6% to 1.1%. CNTs with high mechanical strength were able to suppress Ag nanowire network failure by holding their junctions. Based on these results, we proposed a critical concentration of CNT for the Ag nanowire/CNT hybrid electrodes (∼5 wt%), where the mechanical stability is maximized while keeping the optical and electrical properties high. Our study will give a practical guide for fabricating Ag nanowire/CNT hybrid electrodes with optimized performances.