Search

The use of self-powering wearable devices has increased in recent years due to the increasing demands of the internet of things (IOTs). Textile fabrics have shown increasing trends toward wearable electronics due to their outstanding mechanical, electrical, and electronic properties. Herein, we report the development of a highly flexible and washable thermoelectric device with a sheet resistance of 185–45 kΩ. The sheet resistance of the rGO-coated fabric was reduced from 185 to 45 kΩ on coating with PEDOT:PSS, and was further decreased from 45 kΩ to 25 kΩ with 10 padding cycles. The fabric showed a higher wet pickup percentage of 60–80%, which improved the electrical and thermoelectric performance of the resultant textile. The sheet resistance remained stable for up to 20 cycles and then increased (25Ω–180 kΩ). A difference was attained between the human body temperature (Th) of 36.5 °C with a temperature gradient (ΔT) of 16.5 °C and an ambient temperature of 20.0 ± 0.5 °C. The performance of the device was significantly improved with an enhanced thermoelectric Seebeck coefficient of 2.5–25.0 μV K−1, power factor of 0.25–0.60 μW m−1 K−2, and figure of merit (ZT) of 0.02–0.08 × 10−3. There was an improvement in the tensile strength of the rGO-coated fabric from 20 to 60 mPa, and in the water contact angle (WCA) from 121° to 152°, with a slightly reduced air permeability of 173 to 165 cm3 S2 s−1, without influencing the comfort properties. The study demonstrates that the graphene and polymer nanocomposite-coated textile fabric can be used as a self-powered wearable thermoelectric generator for energy harvesting from low-grade human body heat.

We developed a high-performance electrically conductive and transparent PVDF-TrFE based electrode for piezoelectric pressures sensor using the electrospinning technique. The electrode was produced by depositing the reduced graphene oxide (rGO), multiwall carbon nanotubes (rGO-MCNTs) via spray coating. Various concentration of rGO and MCNTs were used and optimized for improved electrical performance of the resultant electrode. The deposition of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) was successfully achieved by using vapor phase polymerization (VPP). The morphological characteristics of the as-prepared hybrid composite nanofiber mats were analyzed by using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (X-RD), and UV–visible spectroscopy. The electrical performance of the fabricated composite nanofibers was measured by using a four-point probe device. The results showed significant enhancement in electrical conductivity of the hybrid nanocomposite which increased up to 3916 S cm−1 and sensitivity of the developed pressure sensor was achieved 67.4 kPa−1. This work suggests that the hybrid nanocomposite can be used for the transparent electrodes in a piezoelectric pressure sensor.

The demand for highly flexible and self-powered wearable textile devices has increased in recent years. Graphene coated textile-based wearable devices have been used for energy harvesting and storage due to their outstanding mechanical, electrical and electronic properties. However, the use of metal based nanocomposites is limited in textiles, due to their poor bending, fixation, and binding on textiles. We present here reduced graphene oxide (rGO) as an n-type and conductive polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) as a p-type material for a wearable thermoelectric nanogenerator (TEG) using a (pad–dry–cure) technique. We developed a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated textile-based wearable TEG for energy harvesting from low-grade human body heat. The conductive polymer (PEDOT:PSS) and (rGO) nanocomposite were coated using a layer by layer approach. The resultant fabric showed higher weight pickup of 60–80%. The developed textile based TEG device showed an enhanced Seebeck coefficient of (25–150 μV K−1), and a power factor of (2.5–60 μW m−1 K−1). The developed TE device showed a higher potential to convert the low-grade body heat into electrical energy, between the human body temperature of (36.5 °C) and an external environment of (20.0 ± 5 °C) with a temperature difference of (2.5–16.5 °C). The wearable textile-based TEG is capable of producing an open circuit output voltage of 12.5–119.5 mV at an ambient fixed temperature of (20 °C). The rGO coated textile fabric also showed reduced electrical sheet resistance by increasing the number of dyeing cycles (10) and increased with the number of (20) washing cycles. The developed reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated electrodes showed a sheet resistance of 185–45 kΩ and (15 kΩ) for PEDOT:PSS–rGO nanocomposites respectively. Furthermore, the mechanical performance of the as coated textile fabric was enhanced from (20–80 mPa) with increasing number of padding cycles. The thermoelectric performance was significantly improved, without influencing the breath-ability and comfort properties of the resultant fabric. This study presents a promising approach for the fabrication of PEDOT:PSS/rGO nano-hybrids for textile-based wearable thermoelectric generators (TEGs) for energy harvesting from low-grade body heat.

A facile soft-template-assisted self-assembled method was used to prepare nanostructured Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) including 1-dimensional(1-D) nanofibers bundles and 3-dimnesional(3-D) nanocubes with controlled morphologies and size by simply adding solvent and tuning the ratio of monomer and solvent. It is concluded that this method provides a promising route to fabricate other intrinsic conducting polymers with unique structure so as to broaden their applications.

This research primarily deals with the photocatalytic degradation of methanol in indoor air using nanocoated indoor textiles used for curtains as household textiles. The woven polyester was coated by titanium dioxide by sol gel method, using silicon-based binder. The characterization of the coating has been done using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image analysis, energy dispersive analysis using X-ray (EDAX) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The DIY instrument providing the similar environment as of indoor was designed to assess the performance of the degradation of formaldehyde under UV light. The photocatalytic degradation rate was measured using the absorption value of the solutions obtained in the result of liquid chromatography of test solution and reagent solution. Different amount of dosages (1–3 %) and different time period of coatings (half hour to 3 h) have been evaluated for optimization.

In this research work, graphene-based highly, conductive, flexible, washable, and breathable textile electrodes have been developed using the pad-dry-cure method. The results show that the electrical conductivity of the graphene-coated textile electrodes was significantly improved from 3.5 MΩ to 400 ± 5.0 kΩ for 12 padding passes. The deposition of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulphonate (PEDOT:PSS) was acquired on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) coated substrate using layer by layer (LbL) technique. The resultant electrodes showed decreased sheet resistance from 150 to 50 kΩ for PEDOT:PSS with a low impedance of 40–150 Hz over the electric potential of 1.0 mV for the detection of high-quality electrocardiograms (ECG) and pulse rate response in different conditions such as rest, walking and running. Consequently, the effect of post-treatment was also analyzed using 5.0 wt% of ethylene glycol (EG) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), respectively. The sheet resistance was further decreased from 40 kΩ to 130 ±0.5 Ω, which is appropriate for the detection of highly sensitive pulse rate response. The study demonstrates that the pad-dry-cure method can potentially be used for the development of graphene-coated wearable electronic textiles for biomedical and health monitoring devices.

This research approach has been used to enhance and investigate the electrical performance of graphene-based textiles by using an exhaust dyeing method. We developed a highly flexible and wearable e-textile for smart clothing in general and electrocardiogram (ECG) biomedical applications in particular. One step dyeing and reduction of graphene oxide on the textile substrate was accomplished simultaneously at 90 °C in 2 h. After one bath dyeing and reduction of GO, the knitted fabric was coated with conductive polymer PEDOT: PSS via dip coating as a layer by layer (LBL) technique. The resultant knitted textile electrode showed a reduction in sheet resistance from 2.5 MΩ∼140KΩ with increasing (1∼10) dyeing cycles. The electrical conductivity was further the improved, as sheet resistance was decreased from 180KΩ∼120Ω when coated with PEDOT: PSS as compared to pristine PEDOT: PSS and rGO. The results showed that washing has an adverse effect on electrical conductivity. The textile electrode was stable up to 20∼30 washing and 120∼130 bending cycles. The developed electrodes were used as an ECG electrode, with low impedance and higher contact to human skin. The textile electrode showed the enhanced performance to detect the high-quality electrocardiograms (ECG) signals for heart rate in both wet and dry conditions.

Copper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were synthesized on a plasma treated polyester fabric having a coating of TiO2 NPs. The fabric was treated with cold O2 plasma first to enhance the surface affinity for TiO2 NPs, then coated with TiO2 NPs via a heat pressing, and finally synthesize Cu NPs on the complex surface using a dip-coating process. The resulting fabric shows an excellent antibacterial effect and outstanding laundering durability, as it has satisfactory bacterial reduction performance against S. aureus and E. coli higher than 98% and behaves stable even after 50 washing cycles. This methodology for preparing antibacterial polyester fabric maybe of high potential applications in cosmetic and medical textiles.

The aim of this research is to discover such a strategy so that Ink-jet Printing of polyester and cotton blended fabric. This research focuses to develop inks by the combination of Reactive and disperse dyes and by using eco-friendly co-solvents. This paper covers a brief introduction of Ink jet printing technologies and types of inks. A summarized study of the evaluation amid ink jet printing as well as rotary screen printing is also given. In addition to, requirements and composition of water-based ink-jet inks focusing on methodology is given. Furthermore, shelf lives of inks, image sharpness, surface tension, color fastness to rubbing, analysis of head with some personal experiences are also discussed.

The paper presents a simple one-bath template-free solution method to develop the conductive poly (3, 4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) with controlled morphological structures using various monomer to oxidant (PEDOT: FeCl 3 ) ratio of 1:3, 1:6 and 1:9 respectively for the preparation and growth on textile substrate. The results of the structural analysis showed that the polymerization process affected the formation of different shapes from nanofibers, nanotubes, and nanocubes. The spherical nanotubes changed their size and shape into 3D nanocubes at monomer/oxidant ratio of 1:6. The resultant structure considerably influenced the electrical conductivity, and thermoelectric performance of PEDOT coated textile substrate towards potential energy harvesting textile based thermoelectric Nanogenerator for energy harvesting from human body heat. This study demonstrates the new systematic approach for textile-based energy harvesting TE generator with enhanced thermoelectric performance.

In this paper, Graphene oxide dyed on the cotton fabric through an efficient and industrially used continuous dyeing method. The graphene oxide dyed cotton fabric was reduced by using green reducing L-ascorbic at 100 °C microwave-assisted reduction. The effect of with different weight percent of rGO on sheet resistance and active electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding of the studied. The surface modification of the fabric was achieved by using dopamine; the results showed significant improvements for the adhesion of (rGO) distributed uniformly on the fibre surface. Also, the rGO dyed fabric showed higher electrical conductivity 2.3 × 10−1S/cm−1 and EMI SE of −26 to −35 dB in the range of 30–1530 MHz in X-band.

Melt blown-Nonwoven Polypropylene based materials have numerous applications, such as nonwoven fabrics, filtration membranes used in clothing and potential industrial use due to its higher breathability, durability, absorbency, and filtration properties. Nonwoven PP-fabrics are very often used to develop wearable articles such as garments. In this research melt blown-nonwoven polypropylene (NW-PP) membranes were functionalized using (O2) cold plasma for the conversion of highly hydrophobic into hydrophilic nature to enhance the absorption and adhesion of graphene films on the fiber surface. The graphene oxide (GO) and NW membrane was successfully introduced on the fibrous mat and reduced into reduced Graphene oxide (rGO) with green chemical and thermal reduction. L-Ascorbic Acid was used as a reducing agent at a low-temperature microwave-assisted reduction at 90 °C. The as developed NW membrane was connected two copper electrodes and used as wearable pressure (WP) sensors. The physical sensor responds with different stretching and bending cycles under dynamic pressure of loading and unloading. The sensitivity of the developed pressure sensor was 0.050 kPa−1 in a wide pressure range (0–60 kPa). The resultant rGO coated NW-PP wearable pressure sensor (RNPWP) is capable of responding to human body movement and motion. The study demonstrates that mass production on an industrial scale graphene-based conductive nonwoven PP fabric potentially replaces the metal-based conductive wearable textiles for physical sensors.

The multifunctional textiles are interesting areas to be researched on. In this paper, the effect of the fiber nanocoating on the wrinkle recovery, air permeability and anti-Ultraviolet (UV) property of different woven fabrics using sol–gel method has been studied. The sol–gel method has various advantages over other methods. Along with these properties, no change in visual appearance has also been discussed in this paper. The dispersion of nanoparticles of titanium was obtained into silica sol. The characterization of nanocoating was done using Field emission scanning electron micrograph (FESEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) studies. The fabric wrinkle recovery properties, air permeability and anti-UV performance were analyzed using three different immersion timings into the nanosol. The results revealed that both wrinkle recovery properties and anti-UV performance have increased with respect to immersing time of the nanocoating although a slight decrease in air permeability and whiteness index of the fabric was also observed.