Metallization of leaf-derived lignocellulose scaffolds for high-performance flexible electronics and oligodynamic disinfection

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

Abstract

Vascular tubules in natural leaves form quasi-fractal networks that can be metallized. Traditional metallization techniques for these lignocellulose structures are complex, involving metal sputtering, nanoparticle solutions, or multiple chemical pretreatments. Here we present a novel, facile, and reliable method for metallizing leaf-derived lignocellulose scaffolds using silver microparticles. The method achieves properties on-par with the state-of-the-art, such as broadband optical transmittance of over 80%, sheet resistances below 1 Ω/sq., and a current-carrying capacity exceeding 6 A over a 2.5 × 2.5 cm² quasi-fractal electrode. We also demonstrate copper electrodeposition as a cost-effective approach towards fabricating such conductive, biomimetic quasi-fractals. Additionally, we show that these metallized structures can effectively eliminate pathogenic microorganisms like fecal coliforms and E. coli, which are bacterial indicators of microbiological contamination of water. We finally show that these oligodynamic properties can be significantly enhanced with a small externally applied voltage, indicating the noteworthy potential of such structures for water purification and pollution control.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article number66
Number of pages8
Journal npj flexible electronics
Volume8
Issue number1
Publication statusPublished - 18 Oct 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0002-9773-6676/work/173052812
ORCID /0000-0003-3295-6675/work/173054000