Fatigue and the Electrical Resistance of Silver Nanowire Networks

Silver nanowire networks on polymeric substrates have applications for flexible displays. However their electrical sheet resistance, Rs, increases with increasing flexural strain cycles. A percolation model gives , where is the mean network coverage and Rn is the network resistance, determined by the dimensions and conductivity of the nanowires. Network resistance is independent of coverage and increases with strain cycles, showing two clear regimes following the onset of damage. The results indicate that fatigue damage is dominated by a loss in network connectivity rather than a change in the electrical properties of individual nanowires.