Stable dispersion of ITO nanoparticles for self-organization by electrospinning and electrospray

Abstract

In this study, indium tin oxide nanopowder was dispersed in organic solvent by wet attrition milling process to prepare the stable dispersion of the conductive nanoparticles. The resulting nanoparticle dispersion was mixed with polymeric solution, and deposited as conductive fibers on glass substrate by electro-spinning and subsequent calcination for the fabrication of transparent and conductive films. By changing the composition of feed solution through nozzle, the nanoparticle dispersion was self-organized as microparticles with controllable morphologies such as ring-shaped, dimpled, or spheroidal particles as well as porous microparticles by electro-spray process. The transparency of the glass substrates deposited with electro-spun ITO fibers was decreased with increasing deposition time during electrospinning, due to the increase of the thickness of ITO coating layer. Electrical conductivity could be also controlled by changing the spinning time or calcination temperature, and compared with the results from the ITO films fabricated by dip coating process.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Dispersion of conductive nanoparticles
• electrospinning
• electrospray
• self-assembly

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning (NRF-2017R1C1B5017174), Priority Research Centers Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education (NRF-2017R1A6A1A03015562), and the Industrial core technology development program (10077545, Development of icephobic coating materials for extreme environment) funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MI, Korea).