Functional Nanomaterials for Transparent Electrodes

In recent years, extensive progress has been made in the development of primary and applied aspects of fabrication of transparent conductive electrodes especially in flexible, stretchable, low-cost, and lightweight electrode materials for the enhancement of energy generation devices. Fabrication of high-performance transparent conductive flexible plastic is necessary for industrial-scale manufacturing with an extensive range of applications. Transparent electrodes (TE's) are optically transparent to visible light and are electrically conductive. These qualities are important for many renewable energy conversion processes. As transparent electrodes, they are widely used in industry, especially in optoelectronic devices. TE's are essential components for touch panels, organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells, liquid crystal displays (LCDs), and organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Functionalized nanomaterials having the characteristic properties such as flexible, stretchable, and lightweight-based TE's are promising substitutes for commonly used indium tin oxide (ITO)-based TE's for future flexible optoelectronic devices. This chapter broadly summarizes recent developments in the fabrication, properties, modification, patterning, and integration of functionalized nanomaterials for the applications of optoelectronic devices. Their challenges and potential applications, such as in touch panels, optoelectronic devices, liquid crystal displays, and photovoltaic cells, are discussed in detail. Despite many challenges, nanomaterials such as carbon nanotube and graphene TE's have exhibited various applications in optoelectronic devices and some commercially available products such as touch panels of smartphones. An account of recent developments in the fabrication, performance, and significant opportunities for the industrially used transparent conductive electrode, followed by a brief introduction, is provided.