Electrically conductive textile element and method of producing same

Abstract

A method of producing an electrically conductive textile element that includes the steps of modifying a surface of a textile element with a negatively-charged polyelectrolyte; and coating the modified surface of the textile element with metal particles.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15 / 554,695, filed Aug. 30, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety for all purposes.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to the field of electrically conductive textile elements and methods of producing same.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]With the rapid advancement of flexible and wearable electronic devices there has been a demand for conductors as interconnects, contacts, electrodes and metal wires which can be integrated into conductive textiles / garments. Accordingly, methods for synthesizing fabricated high performance electrically conductive textiles have been developed including synthesizing of yarns by or incorporated with metal wires, metal oxide, intrinsically conducting polymers (ICPs), and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). However, conductive textiles fabricated in accordance with these existing methods are not ideal due to the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The invention provides a way to create electrically conductive textile elements that are flexible, durable, and can be washed. These elements can be made using a low-cost technology that improves the adhesion of metal to textile substrates and makes the textile elements more reliable and durable. The conductive textile elements can be created using a chemical reaction that occurs on the surface of the textile, allowing for increased performance and reliability even after repeated rubbing, stretching, and washing. The process can occur under ambient and aqueous conditions without the need for strong chemicals.

Problems solved by technology

However, conductive textiles fabricated in accordance with these existing methods are not ideal due to their inflexibility, chemical instability, cost of production, hazards posed to the human body, and most significantly, the difficulties associated with large scale production with compatible technology in the current textile and garment industry.

However, there are also limitations associated with this approach in terms of the relative amount of investment in technology, advanced instrumentation and specialized workforce expertise involved, as well the relatively precise control parameters required which limit industrialization of this process commercially.

However, the feasibility of scale production of the SI-ATRP method taught by Liu et al. suffers from various problems.

For instance, SI-ATRP is not able to be suitable performed under ambient conditions and requires nitrogen protection.

Furthermore, the SI-ATRP reaction involves a relatively long period of time (˜24 hours) which is undesirable and not cost-effective for mass production.

However, this modified approach suffers from a drawback in that as the selection of catalytic moieties highly depends on the properties and nature of polyelectrolyte brush that grafted on the textile surface, cationic PMETAC is restricted to couple with anionic [PdCl4]2− moieties for subsequent electroless metal deposition.

Furthermore, the [PdCl4]2− moieties used are relatively expensive (USD159.5 per 2 grams for 97% ammonium tetrachloropalladate(II)).

Even though the anionic [PdCl4]2− moieties can be reused, it is still not economical if it is used in the mass production.

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