Electrically conductive highly elastic polyamide/lycra fabric treated with PEDOT:PSS and polyurethane
Journal article, 2019

Conductive elastic fabrics are desirable in wearable electronics and related applications. Highly elastic conductive polyamide/lycra knitted fabric was prepared using intrinsically conductive polymer poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) blended with polyelectrolyte poly (styrene sulfonate) (PSS) using easily scalable coating and immersion methods. The effects of these two methods of treatments on uniformity, electromechanical property, stretchability, and durability were investigated. Different grades of waterborne polyurethanes (PU) were employed in different concentrations to improve the coating and adhesion of the PEDOT:PSS on the fabric. The immersion method gave better uniform treatment, high conductivity, and durability against stretching and cyclic tension than the coating process. The surface resistance increased from similar to 1.7 and similar to 6.4 /square at 0% PU to similar to 3.7 and similar to 12.6 /square at 50% PU for immersion and coating methods, respectively. The treatment methods as well as the acidic PEDOT:PSS did not affect the mechanical properties of the fabric and the fabric showed high strain at break of similar to 650% and remained conductive until break. Finally, to assess the practical applicability of the treated fabric for wearable e-textiles, the change in surface resistance was assessed by cyclically stretching 10 times at 100% strain and washing in a domestic laundry for 10 cycles. The resistance increased only by a small amount when samples were stretched cyclically at 100% strain, and the samples showed good durability against washing.

Author

Melkie Getnet Tadesse

Soochow University

Gheorghe Asachi Tech Univ Iasi

University of Borås

Desalegn Alemu Mengistie

Chalmers, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

Yan Chen

Soochow University

Lichuan Wang

Soochow University

Carmen Loghin

Gheorghe Asachi Tech Univ Iasi

Vincent Nierstrasz

University of Borås

Journal of Materials Science

0022-2461 (ISSN) 1573-4803 (eISSN)

Vol. 54 13 9591-9602

Subject Categories

Textile, Rubber and Polymeric Materials

Materials Chemistry

Composite Science and Engineering

DOI

10.1007/s10853-019-03519-3

More information

Latest update

10/14/2022