Transparent Conductor with Segmented Nanowire Patterns for Low Haze
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Solution Overview
Problem
Transparent conductors containing metal nanowires face challenges in maintaining good pattern visibility due to light scattering and optical properties degradation when reducing sheet resistance for improved electrical characteristics.
Innovation Solution
A transparent conductor design featuring a base layer with a transparent conductive pattern layer comprising conductive and non-conductive regions, where non-conductive regions have a specific deviation and minimum linewidth, and are formed between conductive regions, including metal nanowires embedded in a matrix composition with penta- to deca-functional (meth)acrylic compounds, trifunctional (meth)acrylic compounds, an initiator, an adhesion enhancer, and an antioxidant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If metal nanowires are used to reduce sheet resistance for improved electrical characteristics, then electrical conductivity is improved, but optical properties deteriorate causing poor pattern visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent conductor is divided into multiple independent transparent conductive layers, each with optimized metal nanowire content and electrical resistance. This segmentation allows each layer to contribute to overall conductivity while individual layers maintain better optical properties, resolving the contradiction between electrical performance and pattern visibility.
Solution Approach 2:
Each transparent conductive layer combines metal nanowires with a transparent resin matrix to form a composite material. The metal nanowires provide electrical conductivity while the transparent resin matrix maintains optical clarity and reduces light scattering, enabling both improved electrical characteristics and maintained pattern visibility.
2Reliability
If metal nanowire content is increased to improve electrical conductivity, then sheet resistance decreases, but haze increases reducing transmittance
Solution Approach 1:
The total metal nanowire content is distributed across multiple transparent conductive layers rather than concentrated in a single layer. Each layer contains optimized nanowire content that balances conductivity and optical properties, achieving low overall sheet resistance while maintaining high transmittance and low haze in each individual layer.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrical resistance of each transparent conductive layer is independently optimized within a specific range (10-1000 Ω/sq). By controlling the resistance parameter of each layer and stacking multiple layers, the overall sheet resistance is reduced while each layer maintains optimal optical properties for transmittance and haze.
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
The solution achieves good pattern visibility, low sheet resistance, and improved optical properties such as haze and transmittance, enabling effective use in display devices like touch panels with enhanced conductivity and reduced contact resistance.
Implementation Method 1
the transparent conductive pattern layer includes a plurality of conductive regions and non-conductive regions disposed between adjacent conductive regions
Implementation Method 2
the conductive regions may include metal nanowires and a matrix in which the metal nanowires are impregnated
Data Source
AI summary
Provided are a transparent conductor and a display device including the same, the transparent conductor including: a substrate layer; and a transparent conductive pattern layer formed on the substrate layer, and the transparent conductive pattern layer includes a plurality of conductive areas and non-conductive areas, the non-conductive areas are formed every between neighboring conductive areas, the non-conductive area in the transparent conductive pattern layer has a deviation as calculated by Equation 1 herein, which has a value larger than about 1 and equal to or smaller than about 1.25, and the non-conductive areas have a minimum line width of 40 μm or less.