Room-Temperature, Solution-Processed, Robust, Transparent, and Conductive SiO_x/AgNW Nanocomposite Coating

AgNW networks show high promise as a conductive material due to excellent flexibility, low resistance, high transparency, and ease of large-scale preparation. However, the application of AgNW networks has been hindered by their inherent characteristics, such as easy oxidation degradation, chemical corrosion, and structural instability at high temperatures. In this study, a dense SiO_x protective layer derived from perhydropolysilazane was introduced to fabricate a robust SiO_x/AgNW nanocomposite coating through an all-solution process at room temperature. The achieved nanocomposite coating shows outstanding thermal stability up to 450 °C, resistance to ultraviolet radiation, and excellent mechanical performance by maintaining stability after 10,000 cycles of bending at a radius of 2.5 mm, 1000 cycles of peeling, and 1200 cycles of wearing. Meanwhile, the nanocomposite coating demonstrates exceptional chemical tolerance against HCl, Na₂S, and organic solvents. A transparent heater based on the nanocomposite coating achieves a remarkable benchmark with a maximum temperature of 400 °C at 20 V. These features highlight the potential of the nanocomposite coating in flexible electronics, optoelectronics, touch screens, and high-performance heaters.