Hybrid materials for flexible, transparent electrodes

This thesis investigates the application of metal meshes and Chemical Vapour Deposited graphene hybrid for flexible, transparent heaters. The transfer of graphene – a key step in the fabrication of the hybrid- was first optimised with a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis method to ensure a graphene layer free from mechanical defects (< 2%). The novel electrode was studied with two types of flexible transparent substrates: PET and PEN. The hybrids were recorded with sheet resistance as low as 15 Ω/□ for a material transparency of 82.9%. These performances were not compromised by mechanical testing. The thermal performances were also determined and the addition of graphene improved the thermal resistivity of the heater on PET by 18.7%. The hybrid was assessed under ON/OFF and long period testing for future application prospect. The heater passed the test with performance stable. Additional works include a study with the aim to better understand the contribution of graphene when transferred on top of metal mesh and determine its limitations. The electrical, transparent and thermal characteristics of different configuration of square meshes with CVD graphene were investigated