Fabrication of a graphene coated nonwoven textile for industrial applications. Issue 77 (2nd August 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kongahge, Dharshika; Foroughi, Javad; Gambhir, Sanjeev; Spinks, Geoffrey M.; Wallace, Gordon G.
• Is Part Of: RSC advances. Volume 6:Issue 77(2016)
• Page Start: 73203
• Page End: 73209
• Publication Date: 2016-08-02
• Subjects: Chemistry -- Periodicals; 540.5
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ra15190f
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2046-2069

Abstract

Abstract : A hybrid electrically conductive polyester–graphene textile was fabricated as a high-performance smart textile for geotextile and/or heating element applications. Abstract : A cost effective electrically conductive textile for large scale applications would revolutionise numerous industries. Herein, we demonstrate a novel processing approach to produce conductive textiles for industrial applications. A conductive nonwoven textile was successfully fabricated using a simple dip coating method. The nonwoven polyester was coated with liquid crystallite graphene oxide with subsequent non-toxic chemical reduction. The process is readily scalable. The graphene coated fabric has been characterized by electron microscopy as well as by electrical, mechanical, thermal and abrasion resistance measurements. It was found that the electrical surface resistivity of the prepared polyester–graphene composite fabric was 330 Ω □ −1 . The electrical surface resistivity was 3 and 150 times lower than that of polypyrrole coated woven polyester fabric and graphene coated nonwoven fabrics, respectively, in previously published reports. The hybrid polyester–graphene textile prepared here should find applications in high-performance geotextiles or as heating elements.