RELIABLE AND DURABLE CONDUCTIVE FILMS COMPRISING METAL NANOSTRUCTURES

1 .- 20 . (canceled)

21 . A method comprising:

providing a suspension of silver nanostructures in an aqueous medium;

adding to the suspension a ligand capable of forming a silver complex with silver ions;

allowing the suspension to form sediments containing the silver nanostructures and a supernatant having halide ions; and

separating the supernatant with halide ions from the silver nanostructures.

22 . The method of claim 21 wherein the ligand is ammonia hydroxide (NH 4 OH), cyano (CN − ) or thiosulfate (S 2 O 3 − ).

23 . The method of claim 21 wherein the halide ions are chloride ions.

24 .- 29 . (canceled)

30 . The method of claim 21 wherein the silver nanostructures are silver nanowires.

31 . A conductive film comprising:

a silver nanostructure network layer including a plurality of silver nanostructures; and

an overcoat overlying the silver nanostructure network layer, wherein the overcoat includes a plurality of filler particles.

32 . The conductive film of claim 31 wherein the filler particles are silicon dioxide, alumina oxide, ZnO, polystyrene or poly(methyl methacrylate).

33 . The conductive film of claim 31 wherein the overcoat includes a surface energy-reducing material.

34 . The conductive film of claim 33 where the surface energy-reducing material is a Teflon layer or a release liner overlying the overcoat.

35 . The conductive film of claim 33 wherein the overcoat incorporates one or more surface energy-reducing material selected from fluorinated acrylates, 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl acrylate, perfluorobutyl acrylate, perfluoro-n-octyl acrylate, acrylated silicones, acryloxypropyl, and methacryloxypropyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxanes.

36 . The conductive film of claim 35 wherein the overcoat is cured under an inert gas.

37 . The conducive film of claim 36 wherein the inert gas is nitrogen.