Metallic Nanowire Conductive Layer via Low-Temperature Plasma
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for forming conductive layers using electrospinning processes are inefficient, as they require multiple processing steps and cannot directly deposit metallic nanowires on flexible or polymeric substrates, leading to increased costs and complexity in manufacturing electronic devices like solar cells and touchscreen technologies.
Innovation Solution
A process involving electrospinning deposition where a metal salt-containing polymeric material is deposited on a substrate, with reduced pressure and heating, followed by exposure to an activated gas to convert the fibers into metallic nanowires, allowing direct formation on flexible substrates without the need for high-temperature oxidation and subsequent metalization steps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If traditional electrospinning process with high-temperature oxidation and metalization steps is used, then metallic nanowires can be formed, but the processing complexity increases and flexible substrates cannot be used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the oxidation and metalization steps into a single low-temperature plasma treatment process. The plasma simultaneously oxidizes the polymer matrix and reduces the metal salts to metallic nanowires, eliminating the need for separate high-temperature oxidation and metalization steps. This merging of processes directly reduces the total number of processing steps and simplifies manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high-temperature (500°C) oxidation to low-temperature (below 250°C) plasma treatment. This parameter change enables the use of flexible and polymeric substrates that cannot withstand high temperatures, while still achieving effective metal salt reduction and polymer removal through plasma chemistry rather than thermal processes.
2Ease of manufacture
If high-temperature oxidation process is used to convert electrospun fibers to metallic nanowires, then metalization can be achieved, but flexible and polymeric substrates are damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the temperature parameter from high-temperature (500°C) oxidation to low-temperature (below 250°C) plasma treatment. This parameter change enables the use of flexible and polymeric substrates that cannot withstand high temperatures, while still achieving effective metal salt reduction and polymer removal through plasma chemistry rather than thermal processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the thermal mechanism (heat-based oxidation) with a plasma-based chemical mechanism. Instead of using high-temperature thermal oxidation followed by metalization, the plasma provides reactive species that directly reduce metal salts and remove polymer material through chemical reactions at low temperatures, substituting a chemical field for a thermal field.
3Reliability
If TCO layers are used to provide electrical contact, then optical transparency is maintained, but sheet resistance increases and photovoltage is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material composition parameter by replacing TCO (transparent conductive oxide) materials with metallic nanowire networks. This material substitution fundamentally changes the electrical conductivity mechanism, providing lower sheet resistance through the highly conductive metallic pathways while maintaining optical transparency through the open mesh network structure that allows light transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses composite materials by creating a hybrid structure of metallic nanowires embedded in a polymer or flexible substrate matrix. This composite approach combines the high electrical conductivity of metals with the flexibility and optical transparency benefits of the matrix material, achieving superior overall performance compared to conventional TCO layers.
4Ease of manufacture
If multiple post-electrospinning processing steps are used to form conductive layer, then metallic nanowires can be formed, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the oxidation and metalization steps into a single low-temperature plasma treatment process. The plasma simultaneously oxidizes the polymer matrix and reduces the metal salts to metallic nanowires, eliminating the need for separate high-temperature oxidation and metalization steps. This merging of processes directly reduces the total number of processing steps and simplifies manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The plasma treatment process performs multiple useful actions simultaneously and continuously: it oxidizes the polymer matrix for removal, reduces metal salts to metallic nanowires, and cleans the substrate surface, all in a single continuous treatment step. This continuity eliminates the need for intermediate processing steps and maximizes manufacturing efficiency.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces the number of processing steps, improves electrical properties, and enables the formation of conductive layers on flexible substrates, enhancing the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of electronic device manufacturing.
Implementation Method 1
exposing the substrate to an activated process gas from a gas delivery device disposed in the processing region to the deposited metal salt containing polymeric material
Implementation Method 2
depositing a metal salt containing polymeric material on a surface of a substrate using an electrospinning deposition process
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention generally includes an apparatus and process of forming a conductive layer on a surface of a host substrate, which can be directly used to form a portion of an electronic device. More specifically, one or more of the embodiments disclosed herein include a process of forming a conductive layer on a surface of a substrate using an electrospinning type deposition process. Embodiments of the conductive layer forming process described herein can be used to reduce the number of processing steps required to form the conductive layer, improve the electrical properties of the formed conductive layer and reduce the conductive layer formation process complexity over current state-of-the-art conductive layer formation techniques. Typical electronic device formation processes that can benefit from one or more of the embodiments described herein include, but are not limited to processes used to form solar cells, electronic visual display devices and touchscreen type technologies.