Highly Washable and Conductive Cotton E-textiles Based on Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene

Abstract

In this study, cotton e-textiles were obtained using two types of graphene oxide. The first type of graphene oxide was synthesized using the Hummers’ method. The second type was obtained by the electrochemical exfoliation of graphite in an ammonium salt solution. It was shown that e-textiles based on electrochemically exfoliated graphene have a higher electrical conductivity (2 kΩ/sq) than e-textiles based on graphene oxide obtained by the Hummers’ method (585 kΩ/sq). In addition, textiles based on electrochemically exfoliated graphene exhibit better washing and mechanical stress stability. The electrical resistance of the e-textiles increased only 1.86 times after 10 cycles of washing, compared with 48 times for the Hummers’ method graphene oxide textiles. The X-ray photoelectron spectra of the two types of graphene oxides showed similarity in their functional compositions after reduction. Studies of individual graphene flakes by atomic force microscopy showed that graphene oxide of the second type had a smaller lateral size. Raman spectroscopy showed a higher degree of sp2 structure regeneration after reduction for the second type of graphene. These properties and the tendency to form agglomerated particles determine the mechanochemical stability and high electrical conductivity of e-textiles based on electrochemically exfoliated graphene.

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“…A commonly used chemical stripping method is based on the oxygen atoms or functional groups in graphene oxide (GO), which weakens or destroys the interaction between layers through chemical reactions to achieve layer stripping. 91,92 Although graphene can be easily exfoliated by this method, the preparation of graphene oxide (GO) requires hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) to reduce the residual potassium permanganate (KMnO 4 ), which is dangerous and uncontrollable. 93 Therefore more and more researchers are focusing on the physical exfoliation of graphite through non-covalent interactions.…”

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“…The results showed that the graphene textile is capable of powering electronic devices due to its high maximum power of 3.6 µW. Recently, the effect of the synthesis method of graphene oxide on the electrical properties of conductive cotton fabrics was investigated [39]. It was found that the conductive cotton fabric prepared by electrochemically synthesized graphene oxide exhibited low sheet resistance compared with the graphene oxide synthesized by Hummers' method.…”