Highly Conductive Networks of Silver Nanosheets

Although printed networks of semiconducting nanosheets have found success in a range of applications, conductive nanosheet networks are limited by low conductivities (<10⁶ S m⁻¹). Here, dispersions of silver nanosheets (AgNS) that can be printed into highly conductive networks are described. Using a commercial thermal inkjet printer, AgNS patterns with unannealed conductivities of up to (6.0 ± 1.1) × 10⁶ S m⁻¹ are printed. These networks can form electromagnetic interference shields with record shielding effectiveness of >60 dB in the microwave region at thicknesses <200 nm. High resolution patterns with line widths down to 10 µm are also printed using an aerosol-jet printer which, when annealed at 200 °C, display conductivity >10⁷ S m⁻¹. Unlike conventional Ag-nanoparticle inks, the 2D geometry of AgNS yields smooth, short-free interfaces between electrode and active layer when used as the top electrode in vertical nanosheet heterostructures. This shows that all-printed vertical heterostructures of AgNS/WS₂/AgNS, where the top electrode is a mesh grid, function as photodetectors demonstrating that such structures can be used in optoelectronic applications that usually require transparent conductors.