Trade-off optimization between processing conditions and functional properties of flexible and transparent Cu mesh films

Flexible and transparent conductive films are essential components for next-generation optoelectronic devices. Flexible transparent conductive Cu mesh films have shown great promise due to their high conductivity and flexibility, but achieving a favorable balance between optical transparency, electrical conductivity, thermal stability, and electromagnetic interference shielding remains challenging. Herein, we report the fabrication of flexible transparent conductive Cu mesh films using a crack-assisted templating method combined with magnetron sputtering. By optimizing the process parameters, an effective trade-off among optical, electrical, thermal, and electromagnetic interference shielding was achieved. The resulting Cu mesh films exhibit excellent multifunctional characteristics, including 89% transmittance at 550 nm, a low sheet resistance of 2.8 Ω/sq, and a high figure of merit of 1118.1. Moreover, the films demonstrate superior mechanical durability, with only a 0.5 Ω/sq increase in resistance after 1000 bending cycles and over 95% performance retention after 200 peel tests. As heaters, the films reach 90 °C within 50 seconds under 2 V and maintain thermal stability over 20,000 seconds of cyclic operation. Additionally, the average shielding effectiveness reaches 32.1 dB. This strategy provides a versatile and effective fabrication platform for developing next-generation flexible multifunctional optoelectronic devices.