The Application of Metal Nanowires in Flexible and Stretchable Electronics

Dear Colleagues,

We are pleased to invite you to contribute to a Special Issue entitled The Application of Metal Nanowires in Flexible and Stretchable Electronics. The field of flexible and stretchable electronics has witnessed remarkable advancements in recent years, driven by the increasing demand for lightweight, portable, and adaptable devices in various sectors, including healthcare, wearables, and consumer electronics. Among the materials explored, metal nanowires—particularly silver nanowires (AgNWs)—have emerged as promising candidates due to their unique combination of high electrical conductivity, optical transparency, and excellent mechanical flexibility. These attributes make metal nanowires ideal for integration into a wide range of flexible devices, including sensors, energy storage systems, and wearable electronics. Despite their tremendous potential, challenges remain in optimizing the performance of metal nanowires under mechanical deformation (e.g., bending, stretching, and twisting). Addressing these challenges is crucial for the future development of high-performance flexible and stretchable electronics.

This Special Issue aims to gather the latest research in the application of metal nanowires for flexible and stretchable electronics. The subject aligns closely with the journal’s focus on advancing innovative materials and technologies for electronic devices, particularly in the fields of nanomaterials and their integration into device architectures. This Special Issue will explore various aspects of metal nanowire-based systems, including their synthesis, surface functionalization, mechanical properties, and integration into flexible substrates. It will highlight both fundamental research and practical solutions to enhance the performance and reliability of metal nanowires in real-world flexible electronics. We welcome contributions that not only address current challenges but also explore the application of metal nanowires in next-generation wearable electronics, sensors, and energy devices.

We welcome both original research articles and comprehensive review papers for this Special Issue, whose scope includes, but is not limited to, the following topics: advanced synthesis and surface modification of metal nanowires for flexible electronics; hybrid nanomaterials combining metal nanowires with other nanomaterials for enhanced performance; design and fabrication of stretchable electrodes, sensors, and actuators using metal nanowires; the application of metal nanowires in wearable electronics, smart textiles, and human–computer interfaces; energy storage systems (e.g., batteries, supercapacitors) utilizing metal nanowires; the mechanical properties, stability, and durability of metal nanowires under bending, stretching, and twisting; scalable fabrication techniques for the large-area, low-cost production of metal nanowire-based devices; and the computational modeling and simulation of metal nanowire-based flexible and stretchable systems.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Shuxin Li
Guest Editor

Dr. Ni Liu
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Nanomaterials is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.