Reduced Graphene Oxide Coated Silk Fabrics with Conductive Property for Wearable Electronic Textiles Application

Abstract

The desire for this lightweight and flexible electronics has grown increasingly, and the flexible and wearable electronic textiles can be realized by coating traditional textiles with conductive materials. Here, the conductive silk fabrics are prepared by coating graphene oxide (GO) onto silk fabrics and followed by thermal reduction. The scanning electron microscope results show that the GO coated onto silk fabrics successfully forms a continuous thin film. The oxygen functional groups are removed by thermal reduction. The main structure (β‐sheet structure) of silk fabrics is not destroyed through a series of treatment, guaranteeing good mechanical properties. The resistivity and conductivity of silk fabrics using regenerated silk fibroin as a glue can reach 3.28 KΩ cm−1, 3.06 × 10−4 S cm−1 respectively, which can meet the electron conductive requirement of wearable electronics. Thus, it can be used for sensors, portable devices, and wearable electronic textiles.

Reduced Graphene Oxide and Nanoparticles Incorporated Durable Electroconductive Silk Fabrics

“…Although in some points, weight loss of RGO‐coated samples was higher than pure cotton owing to the pyrolysis of oxygen from the remaining oxygen‐bearing functional groups in the coupling agent and RGO. [ 44 ] However, higher decomposition temperature (in each stage), lower weight loss throughout the analysis period, and more residue suggest that the thermal stability and a heat resistance of NPs incorporated samples (especially Cu) is higher [ 16 ] than the pure silk and other RGO‐coated samples.…”

“…Coupling or crosslinking agents can enhance GO interaction and bonding strength between GO and fabrics. [ 8,9 ] In this study, we used biocompatible 3‐glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxy silane as a coupling agent to increase the bonding durability and reaction sites between silk fabric and GO. The hydrolyzed 3‐glycidyloxypropyl trimethoxy silane produces hydroxyl groups, which act as the binding sites.…”

“…[ 10 ] Natural silk fibers are widely used in textiles because they not only possess high softness, glossiness, antistatic nature, flexibility, moisture absorbency, and mechanical strength but also show high biocompatibility and sustainability. [ 11,12 ] As a polymer of amino acids, silk fibers are mainly consisting of glycine (Gly), alanine (Ala), and serine (Ser). By carbonyl, hydroxyl, and imido group in the amino acids, silk can easily react with GO and different crosslinking agents.…”

“…Although the crosslinked RGO‐coated silk can show good electroconductivity, Joule heating capacity, UV shielding property, and thermal stability, less washing stability stays as a remarkable concern. [ 9,13,15,16 ] Meanwhile, adding a little amount of metal nanoparticles (NPs) can not only radically boost electroconductivity, Joule heating capacity, UV shielding, and thermal stability but also enhance the washing durability of the fabric. Here, we added silver (Ag) and copper (Cu) salts before the reduction.…”

Graphene Modified Multifunctional Personal Protective Clothing

“…BSA and RSF protein were also found to be used as adhesive in silk/graphene composites. Zulan et al reported highly conductive silk fabric, which was wrapped with GO by dipping into GO solution followed by thermal reduction, where BSA and RSF protein was used as adhesive . Flame retardant property can also be improved significantly after several cycles of coating‐reduction process 158a,159.…”