Publications OK SMART LAB

Demonstration of durable electronic textiles via mechanically assisted highly adhesive printing of carbon nanotube-polymer composites on commercial fabrics
Authors
Kwangjin Choi, Hyungi Son, Jaewon Park, Inhui Han, Byeol Han, Boohyun Youn, Jonggab Park, Mingyu Kim, Eunchang Jeong, and Jong G. Ok
Journal
Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry
Vol. (No.), pp.
108, 508-513 (Apr 2022)
Year
2022
We demonstrate the highly adhesive and uniform printing of carbon nanotube (CNT)-polymer composites (CPCs) on diverse commercial fabrics for durable electronic textiles. The mechanically assisted printing (MAP) technique proposed in this work enables the uniform and faithful printing of conductive CPCs on fabrics with excellent adhesion against fabric deformation and stretching. We have systematically studied that the printability and conductivity of CPCs can be optimized by controlling the mixture ratio of the CNTs in an adequate polymer. We also present that various practical patterning methods, such as masked printing and pattern molding, can be applied to the MAP of specifically patterned CPCs to fabricate flexible electronic circuits that operate durably on fabrics. Many diverse industrial applications may benefit from this work, including but not limited to lightweight flexible electronics and sensors, wearable devices and gears, and functional textiles.