PEDOT:PSS-modified cotton conductive thread for mass manufacturing of textile-based electrical wearable sensors by computerized embroidery
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The textile industry has advanced processes that allow computerized manufacturing of garments at large volumes with precise visual patterns. The industry, however, is not able to mass fabricate clothes with seamlessly integrated wearable sensors, using its precise methods of fabrication (such as computerized embroidery). This is due to the lack of conductive threads compatible with standard manufacturing methods used in industry. In this work, we report a low-cost poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)-modified cotton conductive thread (PECOTEX) that is compatible with computerized embroidery. The PECOTEX was produced using a crosslinking reaction between PEDOT:PSS and cotton thread using divinyl sulfone as the crosslinker. We extensively characterized and optimized our formulations to create a mechanically robust conductive thread that can be produced in large quantities in a roll-to-roll fashion. Using PECOTEX and a domestic computerized embroidery machine, we produced a series of wearable electrical sensors including a facemask for monitoring breathing, a t-shirt for monitoring heart activity and textile-based gas sensors for monitoring ammonia as technology demonstrators. PECOTEX has the potential to enable mass manufacturing of new classes of low-cost wearable sensors integrated into everyday clothes.
Date Issued
2022-10
Date Acceptance
2022-07-28
Citation
Materials Today, 2022, 59, pp.56-67
ISSN
1369-7021
Publisher
Elsevier
Start Page
56
End Page
67
Journal / Book Title
Materials Today
Volume
59
Copyright Statement
© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Sponsor
Engineering & Physical Science Research Council (E
Wellcome Trust
US Army (US)
Identifier
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1369702122002085?via%3Dihub
Grant Number
EP/R511547/1
207687/Z/17/Z
W911QY20P0280
Subjects
Materials
03 Chemical Sciences
09 Engineering
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2022-09-06