Preparation and Characterization of Conductive Cotton Fabric Using The Composites Single-walled Carbon Nanotube and PEDOT:PSS

Abstract

This study uses several different methods of preparation to explore the thermal and electrical properties of cotton fabric impregnated with single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and poly (3,4 ethylenedioxy thiophene) poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). The SWCNTs and PEDOT:PSS are delivered by the drop casting technique either as a mixture of these constituent or as a series of steps in which each constituent is added sequentially. The primary finding of this study is that lower sheet resistances can be achieved by applying the constituents in sequence rather than as a mixture. For example, given fixed amounts of SWCNTs and PEDOT:PSS delivered as a mixture has sheet resistance 2.158 Ω/□, but when the same amounts are delivered in the order SWCNTs followed by PEDOT:PSS the sheet resistance is reduced to 0.985 Ω/□, and when this order is reversed the sheet resistance is further reduced to 0.633 Ω/□. Finally, when the same total amounts of SWCNTs and PEDOT:PSS are delivered in the order SWCNTs followed by PEDOT:PSS followed by SWCNTs, the sheet resistance is further reduced to 0.342 Ω/□. Sheet resistances of the conductive cotton fabric are found to be stable over a period of four month at room temperature. Furthermore, the conductive fabrics exhibit a stable and reversible transition from metallic to semi-conductor behavior around 75oC independent of the concentration of constituents