Functional conductive coatings based on nickel@silver core@shell nanoparticles sintered via combined oxalic acid treatment and UV–Vis irradiation

A novel low-temperature sintering strategy combining oxalic acid (OA) treatment and UV-Vis irradiation has been developed for the fabrication of functional conductive coatings based on bimetallic nickel@silver core@shell nanoparticles (Ni@Ag NPs). The synergistic use of OA and UV-Vis irradiation significantly improves the electrical conductivity and microstructural uniformity of the coatings compared to either method used independently. The study further demonstrates that the electrical performance of the coatings can be effectively tuned by adjusting the silver shell thickness, with thicker Ag layers facilitating improved nanoparticle coalescence and interparticle contact. Importantly, the proposed hybrid sintering approach enables the formation of dense, adherent, and highly conductive metallic networks at temperatures compatible with polymeric and other heat-sensitive substrates. These findings advance the field of functional coating technologies by offering an energy-efficient, cost-effective, and substrate-friendly route for producing conductive layers relevant to flexible, printed, and hybrid electronic systems.