Stable, amphiphobic, and electrically conductive coating on flexible polyimide substrate

• Published in: Journal of industrial and engineering chemistry (Seoul, Korea) Vol. 120; pp. 429 - 438
• Main Authors: Jeon, Hyun-Soo, Yao, Wenhui, Kim, Kyeong-Hwan, Sim, Jun-Hyung, Cho, Young-Rae
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 25.04.2023; 한국공업화학회
• Subjects: Ag nanopillar array; Chemical modification; Flexible electrode material; Mechanical and chemical stability; Plasma etching; Surface amphiphobicity; 화학공학; F-PI; PFDT; Flexible electrode material; PAgNP-PI; CAH; Ag nanopillar array; SA; Mechanical and chemical stability; AR; Chemical modification; RF; NP-PI; WCA; Plasma etching; AgNP-PI; PI; Surface amphiphobicity; CA; mAR
• ISSN: 1226-086X; 1876-794X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jiec.2022.12.050

[Display omitted] •A nanopillar array with a high aspect ratio was formed only by plasma etching.•The surface exhibited superhydrophilicity.•The surface after Ag deposition had superhydrophobicity and electrical conductivity.•After fluorination, it showed good amphiphobicity and electrical stability.•It is suitable in flexible electronics with surface amphiphobicity and stability. A flexible electrode material, with good surface amphiphobicity and mechanical and chemical stability, was fabricated herein using a simple process. A superhydrophilic nanopillar array with a high aspect ratio was formed on a flexible polyimide substrate by radio-frequency plasma etching using a sputtering system. A superhydrophobic and electrically conductive silver nanopillar array was constructed by sequentially depositing Ag thin films without breaking the vacuum. Good surface amphiphobicity was achieved by fluorination on the Ag nanopillar arrays using 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol (PFDT) solution. For the optimal sample, the contact angles for water and ethanol were approximately 166° and 120°, respectively. The water sliding angle and contact angle hysteresis were 3° and 1°, respectively, indicating the potential of the arrays to perform well in self-cleaning tests. Fingerprints were not observed after pressing the thumb on the surface, indicating the excellent anti-fingerprint property. Even after 10,000 bending cycles, the change in the electrical resistance was close to unity, and the surface amphiphobicity was well maintained, indicating the excellent mechanical durability. The superior electrical stability was exhibited even after immersion in different solutions such as water and acid. The superior performances render the Ag nanopillar array with PFDT a good candidate for use as a flexible electrode material.