A method of forming an electrically conductive composite is disclosed that includes the steps of providing a first dielectric material and a second conductive material that is substantially dispersed within the first dielectric material; and applying an electric field through at least a portion of the combined first dielectric material and second conductive material such that the second conductive material undergoes electrophoresis and forms at least one electrically conductive path through the electrically conductive composite along the direction of the applied electric field.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing coated carbon nanotubes, the method comprising the steps of: functionalizing the carbon nanotubes in a solvent comprising a silane polymer; coating the carbon nanotubes with a SiO.sub.2 layer; depositing metal catalyst particles on the SiO.sub.2 layer of the carbon nanotubes; and performing electroless plating to form an Ag coating on the SiO.sub.2 layer of the carbon nanotubes. The invention also relates Ag-coated CNTs, and to the use of Ag-coated CNTs as interconnects in a flexible electronic film.

A composite with hollow nano-structures includes multiple one dimensional hollow nanowires being dispersed into a polymer film. The polymer film is flexible, a dielectric constant of the one dimensional hollow nanowire is lower than a dielectric constant of the polymer film, and a dielectric constant of the composite is between the dielectric constant of the one dimensional hollow nanowire and the dielectric constant of the polymer film.

A method of forming a metal silicide nanowire network that includes multiple metal silicide nanowires fused together in a disorderly arrangement on a substrate. The metal silicide nanowire network can be formed by applying a solution that contains silicon nanowires onto the substrate, forming a metal layer on the silicon nanowires, and performing a silicidation anneal such that the metal silicide nanowires are fused together in a disorderly arrangement, forming a mesh. After the silicidation anneal is performed, any unreacted silicon or metal can be selectively removed.

In some examples, an electronic device comprises a first component having a surface, a second component having a surface, and a bond layer positioned between the surfaces of the first and second components to couple the first and second components to each other. The bond layer includes a set of metallic nanowires and a dielectric portion. The dielectric portion comprises a polymer matrix and dielectric nanoparticles.

Provided is a conductive pattern having at least one unit conductive pattern forming one touch pixel according to an aspect of the present invention. The at least one unit conductive pattern includes a plurality of nanostructures each having opposite ends. A ratio of nanostructures, both opposite ends of which are in contact with edges of the at least one unit conductive pattern to all nanostructures included in the at least one unit conductive pattern is 70% or more.

Polymer binders, e.g., crosslinked polymer binders, have been found to be an effective film component in creating high quality transparent electrically conductive coatings or films comprising metal nanostructured networks. The metal nanowire films can be effectively patterned and the patterning can be performed with a high degree of optical similarity between the distinct patterned regions. Metal nanostructured networks are formed through the fusing of the metal nanowires to form conductive networks. Methods for patterning include, for example, using crosslinking radiation to pattern crosslinking of the polymer binder. The application of a fusing solution to the patterned film can result in low resistance areas and electrically resistive areas. After fusing, the network can provide desirable low sheet resistances while maintaining good optical transparency and low haze. A polymer overcoat can further stabilize conductive films and provide desirable optical effects. The patterned films can be useful in devices, such as touch sensors.

According to one aspect of the present invention, a silver nanowire mesh (Ag NW-mesh) electrode and a fabricating method thereof. The Ag NW-mesh electrode includes a flexible substrate; and a mesh pattern layer which is disposed on the flexible substrate and in which a plurality of first meal lines and a plurality of second metal lines are composed of Ag NWs and intersect each other in an orthogonal or diagonal direction to form a grid pattern, wherein the first metal lines and the second metal lines of the mesh pattern layer form an angle of 35 degrees to 55 degrees with respect to a bending direction.

A method of fabricating a transparent conductor is provided. The method includes forming a nanowire dispersion layer on a substrate, forming a nanowire network layer on the substrate by drying the nanowire dispersion layer, and forming a matrix material layer on the nanowire network layer.

Metal nanowires with uniform noble metal coatings are described. Two methods, galvanic exchange and direct deposition, are disclosed for the successful formation of the uniform noble metal coatings. Both the galvanic exchange reaction and the direct deposition method benefit from the inclusion of appropriately strong binding ligands to control or mediate the coating process to provide for the formation of a uniform coating. The noble metal coated nanowires are effective for the production of stable transparent conductive films, which may comprise a fused metal nanostructured network.