Initial insights of laundry detergent and additive impact on e-textile surface resistivity

Abstract

Smart clothing represents less than 1% of the multibillion dollar wearables market. This lagging representation is due to many factors; one predominant challenge which includes performance reliability post-laundering/care. Due to smart clothing intimately contacting the human body, it naturally becomes soiled and requires laundering. However, insight into the impact of consumer detergents and other additives on e-textile conductive functionality post laundering has yet to be explored. The purpose of this research was to study laundering conditions, specifically the influence of select laundry detergents and additives, on surface resistivity of select e-textiles to provide initial insights into the impact of consumer-available laundering treatments to contribute to knowledge around laundering of e-textiles. Understanding initial impacts of laundering conditions, particularly detergents and other common laundry additives can inform future studies, laundering text methods of e-textiles, and care label development.

Durability study of e-textile electrodes for human body communication

“…This study can also inform the design of care instructions for ETEs. 19 Abrasion can cause tears to form in knitted conductive pads, and care instructions for these types of electrodes should include reducing their exposure to friction to increase their structural longevity. Perspiration can also lead to oxidation on the surface of conductive pads that contain copper.…”

“…Previous research has included these tests to determine the durability of e-textiles. 7,11,18,19 Table 1 lists the electrode samples and their corresponding fabric tests. After the durability tests were conducted, the surface resistivity of the electrode pads and HBC were re-measured and compared to the initial measurements.…”