Mapping the Progress in Flexible Electrodes for Wearable Electronic Textiles: Materials, Durability, and Applications

Abstract

With the advancement of nanotechnology and electroactive materials, conventional textiles have transformed into a versatile wearable electronic platform that will inevitably escalate the development of next‐generation flexible electronics. Integration of nanoscale conductive particles such as polymers, metals, or nanocarbons into different structural textile design has simplified the way of personal interactive communications and portable sensing by distributing superior stretchability and functionality in a smart textile device. However, for the real‐life application, it is crucial to recognize the functional reliability of wearable textile electronics. This review comprehensively summarizes the recent progress in electronic textiles (e‐textiles) using different electroactive materials and textile architectures for numerous wearable applications. The first section highlights different textile architectures used in e‐textiles and their various properties. Various electroactive polymers from carbon, metal, and conductive polymers, including their electromechanical properties and wash durability, are then discussed. Subsequently, progress in textile‐based energy harvesting and storage, personal thermal management, flexible sensing, electrocardiography (ECG), electromagnetic interference shielding are presented. Finally, the remaining challenges regarding the current materials and processing strategies are pointed out, and practical strategies to fully realize e‐textile systems are suggested.

Viscoelastic Covalent Organic Nanotube Fabric via Macroscopic Entanglement

“…Hence, we presumed that entangling one-dimensional (1D) CONTs into a 2D fabric could be an effective means to create a complex material whose properties would differ fundamentally from those of the unorganized CONTs. The entanglement of 1D CONT assembly, which ranges from 10 to 100 micrometers, into a macroscopic 2D fabric can induce exciting properties during device fabrication, separation, battery-related applications, and heterogeneous catalysis. − However, only CONT entanglement might lead to the dethreading of such macroscopic fabrics . One way to mitigate such dethreading is by introducing noncovalent interaction among the entwined CONTs …”

“…However, the 14 N− 1 H correlation confirms the presence of a trace amount of imidazole N−H in the TAT-BPy CONT fabric. The imidazole linkage that does not appear in 1 H− 1 H DQ−SQ NMR due to the small quantity can be detected in the 14 N− 1 H correlation spectrum. FT-IR and SSNMR studies preclude the formation/breakage of any covalent bond during the fabric formation.…”

Two‐dimensional MXenes: New frontier of wearable and flexible electronics

“…These revolutionary advances and modifications in textiles have been made possible with the emergence of nanomaterials including graphene, 11,55,56 MXene, 15,57,58 carbon nanotubes (CNTs), 59 conducting polymers, 60 metallic nanoparticles/nanowires, 61,62 and so on. Textile-based electronic devices have been widely used in flexible, portable energy storage and conversion systems, 63,64 real-time healthcare monitoring, [65][66][67][68] flexible sensing, [69][70][71][72][73] flexible displays, 4 thermal management, [74][75][76][77] biomedical therapy, 78 soft-robotics, 79,80 and so on. Although several nanomaterials have enabled smart textiles for wearable electronics, novel 2D MXene has recently received more attention.…”

Silk-Templated Nanomaterial Interfaces for Wearables and Bioelectronics: Advances and Prospects

“…44,45 Recently, the mechanical properties of degummed silk fiber were compared with the nanohydroxyapatite (HA) strength silk fiber developed by the in situ biomineralization process. In this process, silkworms were modified by nano-HA powder, and low-level and high-level Ca 2+ , PO 4 3− ions were added to improve the content of α-helix and random coil. As a result, the toughness modulus, fracture strength, and elongation at break were increased compared to conventional silk fibroin.…”

“…Wearable electronic devices derived from bioresources have gained tremendous attention due to their biocompatibility, mechanical robustness, flexibility, and high sustainability. These soft-bioelectronic devices have been vastly utilized in healthcare monitoring, − flexible sensing, − thermal management and protective clothing, − energy storage, and conversion devices. , Under biodegradability, biointegrated devices are considered to lower adverse environmental footprints, as these devices can be easily disposed of or recycled. Essentially, bioelectronics is a desirable platform where both high material performances and stringent environmental requirements can be achieved.…”