Enhancing electrical conductivity of RuO2 nanosheet-coated films by enlarging the nanosheet area

This study focused on enhancing the electrical conductivity of metal oxide nanosheet films by increasing the size of the nanosheets to promote the electron flow in the desired in-plane direction. We developed a method for increasing the size of RuO 2 metal oxide nanosheets, a 2D material, by controlling the heat-treatment process. The size of the RuO 2 nanosheets increased from 0.7 to 3.5 μm by modifying the heat-treatment conditions of K x RuO 2 , which was used as the precursor material. As a consequence, the electrical conductivity of the large-sized-RuO 2 nanosheet-coated films was eight times higher than that of their small-sized counterparts. This lower resistance was attributed to the minimal number of contacts required for electron flow; the contact resistance between the nanosheets being higher than the intrinsic resistance. The proposed approach for enhancing the conductivity of metal oxide 2D materials is very promising and is expected to significantly contribute to the development of advanced flexible electronic devices. • Enlarged RuO 2 nanosheets boost electrical conductivity in flexible devices. • Controlled heat treatment of K x RuO 2 precursor material enhances nanosheet size. • Eightfold increase in electrical conductivity observed in larger nanosheets. • Reduced resistance due to minimized electron flow contacts in nanosheet films. • Promising method for improving electrical properties in flexible electronics.