# Trimethylsilane Plasma-Nanocoated Silver Nanowires for Improved Stability

## TL;DR

This study shows that a TMS plasma coating can protect silver nanowires from degrading, keeping their electrical properties stable for use in electronics.

## Contribution

The novel use of TMS plasma nanocoatings to significantly improve the stability of silver nanowires in various environments.

## Key findings

- TMS plasma nanocoatings increased resistance by up to ~25% but effectively prevented degradation of silver nanowires.
- Coated nanowires showed significantly lower resistance increases compared to uncoated ones during storage in summer conditions and PBS solution.
- Increasing the coating thickness further enhanced the stability of silver nanowires' conductivity.

## Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of trimethylsilane (TMS) plasma nanocoatings in protecting silver nanowires (AgNWs) from degradation and thus to improve their stability. TMS plasma nanocoatings at various thicknesses were deposited onto AgNWs that were prepared on three different substrates, including glass, porous styrene-ethylene-butadiene-styrene (SEBS), and poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). The experimental results showed that the application of TMS plasma nanocoatings to AgNWs induced little increase, up to ~25%, in their electrical resistance but effectively protected them from degradation. Over a two-month storage period in summer (20–22 °C, 55–70% RH), the resistance of the coated AgNWs on SEBS increased by only ~90%, compared to a substantial increase of ~700% for the uncoated AgNWs. On glass, the resistance of the coated AgNWs increased by ~30%, versus ~190% for the uncoated ones. When stored in a 37 °C phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) solution for 2 months, the resistance of the coated AgNWs on glass increased by ~130%, while the uncoated AgNWs saw a ~970% rise. Increasing the TMS plasma nanocoating thickness further improved the conductivity stability of the AgNWs. The nanocoatings also transformed the AgNWs’ surfaces from hydrophilic to hydrophobic without significantly affecting their optical transparency. These findings demonstrate the potential of TMS plasma nanocoatings in protecting AgNWs from environmental and aqueous degradation, preserving their electrical conductivity and suitability for use in transparent electrodes and wearable electronics.