The specific aims of my research are to develop novel transparent conducting films based on percolating metallic conducting oxide nanowires as potential low cost substitutes for transparent tin-doped indium oxide (ITO). The entire area of transparent conductors has been completely dominated by tin-doped indium oxide (ITO). Given the relative scarcity of the element indium, its increasing use in lead-free solder, and the great importance of ITO in solar cells – this apart from the already significant use in all kinds of electronic displays – the need for alternative materials is urgent. An alternative approach is produce transparent composite conductors, where the conducting component is a high aspect ratio material such as a nanowire. Loss of transparency due to the high optical absorbance is offset by the low percolation threshold of high aspect structures such as nanotubes and nanowires.
yshi [at] chem.ucsb.edu