Methods for Preparing Electrically Conductive Patterns and Articles Containing Electrically Conductive Patterns

A method of preparing a conductive article comprising:

• preparing a precursor article, wherein preparing the precursor article comprises:
• providing an electrically insulating substrate comprising a substantially continuous transparent conductor coating over at least a portion of the substrate surface;
• selectively applying a resist matrix material to portions of the substantially continuous transparent conductor coating to yield a pattern of resist matrix material with an exposed surface;
• and
• selectively applying a conductive contact composition in a pattern to portions of the transparent conductor coating surface, and to at least portions of the exposed surface of the resist matrix material, such that the transparent conductor coating surface is divided into subregions, the subregions comprising:
• first subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating exposed;
• second subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating and the pattern of resist matrix material;
• and
• third subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating in contact with the conductive contact composition pattern, wherein the conductive contact composition pattern is also in contact with a portion of the exposed surface of the resist matrix material;
• optionally curing or drying the resist matrix material and optionally drying or curing the conductive contact composition;
• and
• chemically etching the precursor article such that the transparent conductor coating in the first subregions comprising the exposed transparent conductor coating is selectively removed, and wherein the transparent conductor coating in the second subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating and the resist matrix and the transparent conductor coating in the third subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating in contact with the conductive contact are not removed or are not completely removed.

A conductive article comprising:

• an electrically insulating substrate;
• a conductive region on the substrate, the conductive region comprising a conductive pattern comprising a transparent conductor and a resist matrix;
• a non-conductive region on the substrate;
• and
• an exposed conductive contact comprising a first major surface and a second major surface, wherein the entire first major surface of the conductive contact is in contact with the transparent conductor, and wherein at least a portion of the second major surface of the conductive contact is exposed and the conductive contact is in contact with the resist matrix and optionally a portion of the second major surface of the conductive contact is overlapped by the resist matrix.

A method of preparing a conductive article comprising:

• preparing a precursor article, wherein preparing the precursor article comprises:
• providing an electrically insulating substrate comprising a substantially continuous transparent conductor coating over at least a portion of the substrate surface;
• selectively applying a conductive contact composition in a pattern to portions of the transparent conductor coating to form a conductive contact with an exposed surface;
• and
• selectively applying a resist matrix material to portions of the substantially continuous transparent conductor coating and optionally to a portion of the exposed surface of the conductive contact composition in a pattern, such that the transparent conductor coating surface is divided into subregions, the subregions comprising:
• first subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating exposed;
• second subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating and the pattern of resist matrix material;
• and
• third subregions comprising the transparent conductive coating in contact with the conductive contact composition pattern wherein a portion of the conductive contact composition pattern is in contact with the resist matrix material;
• optionally curing or drying the resist matrix material and optionally drying or curing the conductive contact composition;
• and
• chemically etching the precursor article such that the transparent conductor coating in the first subregions comprising the exposed transparent conductor coating is selectively removed, and wherein the transparent conductor coating in the second subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating and the resist matrix, and the transparent conductor coating in the third subregions comprising the transparent conductor coating in contact with a conductive contact are not removed or are not completely removed.