A simple and scalable production of conductive fibers with excellent washing resistance

• Published in: Materials letters 2019-03, Vol.239, p.9-12
• Main Authors: Zhao, Yintao, Sun, Xuantong, Zhao, Hongtao, Tian, Mingwei, Zhang, Xiansheng, Shifengzhu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Electrical conductivity; Electrical resistance; Electrical resistivity; Electromagnetic shielding; Fibers; Graphene; Graphene oxide; Materials science; Reducing agents; Smart materials; Textiles; Viscose stable fibers; Washing; Washing resistance
• ISSN: 0167-577X; 1873-4979
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2018.12.026

Viscose stable fibers were modified by graphene oxide and reduced to conductive fibers by reducing agent. After reduction process, the graphene oxide was reduced and distributed on the surface of fibers evenly and continuously. After the final treatment, the electrical conductivity of conductive fibers reached 1.13 S/m which can easily light the LED bulb and its washing resistance achieved level four. [Display omitted] •GO modified fibers were prepared via simple methods of soaking and reduction.•GO on the fibers was successfully reduced by reducing agent.•The continuous conductive path was formed after the reduction of GO.•This study provides a competitive way for preparing GO conductive fibers. Viscose stable fibers with excellent electrical conductivity and washing resistance were prepared using the simple and scalable method of soaking and reduction with the employment of graphene oxide and reducing agent. After treatment, viscose stable fibers were evenly coated with reduced graphene oxide and a continuous conductive path was formed accordingly, and exhibited a high electrical conductivity of 1.13 S/m. Besides, the electrical conductivity of treated viscose stable fibers decreased a little after washing tests, and its washing resistance achieved level four according to GB/T 3921-2008(ISO105-C10:2006), while the electrical conductivity of the original viscose stable fibers and viscose stable fibers treated by graphene oxide only were 3.55 × 10−4 S/m and 1.59 × 10−3 S/m, respectively. The conductive fibers can be applied in the fields of wearable e-textiles, electromagnetic shielding and anti-static textiles owing to their good electrical conductivity and washing resistance.