Smart t-shirts made with graphene

Researchers create a methods to produce cotton fabrics with electronics

    Researchers at the University of Cambridge, working in collaboration with scientists from the University of Jiangnan, China, have devised a method for depositing graphene-based inks on cotton to produce a conductive textile material. The work, published in the magazine Carbon, demonstrates a usable movement sensor as clothing based on the conductive cotton.

"This method will allow us to put electronic systems directly on clothes, it's an incredible technology for intelligent textiles," says Chaoxia Wang of Jiangnan University.

   The cotton fabric is the most used in clothing and textiles, it is breathable and comfortable to use, and resistant to washing. These properties also make it an excellent choice for textile electronics. A new process, developed by Felice Torrisi at the Graphene Center in Cambridge, is an economical, sustainable and environmentally friendly method for manufacturing conductive cotton textiles by impregnating them with a conductive ink based on graphene, according to a statement from the university.

Based on Torrisi's work in the formulation of printable graphene inks for flexible electronics, the team created chemically modified graphene flake inks that are more adhesive to cotton fibers than unmodified graphene. The heat treatment after depositing the ink on the fabric improves the conductivity of the modified graphene. The adhesion of modified graphene to cotton fiber is similar to the way in which cotton maintains colored colorants, and allows the fabric to remain conductive after several washes.

Although many researchers around the world have developed wearable sensors, most current technologies are based on rigid electronic components mounted on flexible materials such as plastic films or textiles. These offer limited compatibility with the skin in many circumstances, are damaged when washed and are uncomfortable to wear because they are not breathable.