A molecular pathway to corrosion-resistant printable copper

Copper’s exceptional electrical and thermal conductivities make it essential for electronics and energy systems. However, oxidation and corrosion limit its long-term reliability, and existing protection strategies often involve high-temperature or multistep processing. We report a molecularly reactive strategy that converts copper precursors to metallic copper at <150°C, while generating an ultrathin carbonaceous and copper(I) surface passivation. Catechol-based ligands mediate copper reduction, enable low-temperature interparticle fusion, and impart surface passivation, yielding flexible copper with low resistivity and exceptional stability (>1000 hours in acid, >200 hours in sulfide, >240 hours at 140°C). This strategy resolves the long-standing trade-off between conductivity, corrosion resistance, and processability for next-generation flexible electronics and energy systems.