A method of textile electrode preparation

Abstract

The application discloses a textile electrode preparation method, which comprises the following steps: applying a nanoscale conductive material solution on a region to be formed with an electrode on a textile to be processed; and placing the textile in an electrolyte and using an electroplating device to electroplate a plated metal to the region to be formed with the electrode. The textile electrode preparation method can form an electrode with strong conductivity on the textile.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application generally relates to the field of smart wearable technology, and more particularly to a method for preparing textile electrodes. Background Technology

[0002] With the widespread application of technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and big data in sports monitoring and healthcare, the smart wearable device market has experienced significant growth. To make smart wearable devices more comfortable to wear, it's necessary to avoid using traditional rigid sensing electrode materials in textiles and instead use more flexible ones. Current textile electrodes often involve directly applying conductive material to the area to be formed on the textile, or electroplating directly onto the area using an electroplating device. However, the former method suffers from the problem that the applied conductive material is prone to detachment during later use; the latter method suffers from the problem that textiles themselves have poor conductivity, making it difficult to reduce the electroplated metal ions in the plating solution when used as a cathode. Both electrode formation methods result in poor electrode conductivity, affecting the functionality of smart wearable devices. Summary of the Invention

[0003] In view of the above-mentioned defects or deficiencies in the prior art, it is desirable to provide a method for preparing textile electrodes that can generate electrodes with strong conductivity.

[0004] The specific technical solution is as follows:

[0005] This application provides a method for preparing a textile electrode, comprising:

[0006] A nanoscale conductive material solution is applied to the area of ​​the textile to be treated where the electrode will be generated.

[0007] The textile is placed in an electrolyte, and an electroplating apparatus is used to electroplat the metal coating onto the area where the electrode is to be formed.

[0008] Optionally, during the electroplating process of the area to be generated as an electrode, the temperature of the electroplating solution is controlled so that it is maintained at a first set temperature for a first set time period after the start of electroplating, and at a second set temperature for a second set time period before the end of electroplating, and the temperature of the electroplating solution is controlled to gradually rise between the two set time periods.

[0009] Optionally, the method for forming the electrode region to be generated includes:

[0010] A waterproof film used to cover the entire textile is cut to form a first film and a second film. The first film is used to cover the area on the textile where the electrode is to be generated, and the second film is used to cover the non-functional area on the textile. An isolation area is also formed between the area where the electrode is to be generated and the non-functional area.

[0011] The first film is attached to the area of ​​the electrode to be generated on the textile.

[0012] The second film is adhered to a non-functional area on the textile;

[0013] Apply a hydrophobic material solution to the isolation area on the textile and then dry the isolation area.

[0014] Before applying the nanoscale conductive material solution to the area where the electrode is to be generated, the first thin film is removed;

[0015] After electroplating of the area to be formed as an electrode is completed, the second thin film is removed.

[0016] Optionally, before bonding the first film and the second film, an ethanol solution is sprayed onto the electrode area and non-functional area to be generated on the textile, wherein the concentration of the ethanol solution is greater than or equal to 95% and the temperature is 2℃-8℃; after bonding the first film and the second film, the two are electrostatically bonded to the textile.

[0017] Optionally, when drying the isolated area, a gas with a humidity of less than 5% and a temperature of less than 10°C may be used.

[0018] Optionally, when removing the first film, a hot air gun with a diameter corresponding to the first film is used, and the gas temperature generated by the hot air gun is 75°C-85°C.

[0019] The beneficial effects of this application are:

[0020] By applying a nanoscale conductive material solution to the area of ​​the textile to be plated with an electrode, the area acquires good conductivity. This area is then used as a cathode, and the textile is placed in an electroplating apparatus for electrolysis. Preferably, the electrolyte contains cations of the plating metal element. Due to the good conductivity of the cathode, after a period of electroplating, a dense metal plating layer can be formed on the area to be plated with an electrode. This metal plating layer protects the conductive material adhering to the electrode area and further enhances the conductivity of the area. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Other features, objects, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings:

[0022] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of the textile electrode preparation method of this application;

[0023] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the electroplating process;

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 1 Graph showing temperature control variations during the electroplating process;

[0025] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of applying a waterproof film to textiles before applying a conductive coating;

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the application of a hydrophobic material between two waterproof films before applying a conductive intermediate coating.

[0027] Figure 6 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the process before applying the conductive material, after applying the hydrophobic material, and after removing the first thin film.

[0028] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram after applying the conductive coating.

[0029] Figure 8 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram showing the electroplating process after completion;

[0030] The diagram is labeled as follows: 1, textile; 11, area to be formed as electrode; 2, electroplating apparatus; 31, first thin film; 32, second thin film; 12, non-functional area; 13, isolation area; 4, electrode. Detailed Implementation

[0031] The present application will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the invention and not intended to limit it. Furthermore, it should be noted that, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0032] It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in this application can be combined with each other. This application will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0033] Please refer to Figure 1 The present embodiment provides a method for preparing a textile electrode, comprising:

[0034] A nanoscale conductive material solution is applied to the electrode region 11 to be generated on the textile 1 to be treated;

[0035] The textile 1 is placed in an electrolyte, and the plating metal is electroplated onto the electrode area 11 to be generated using an electroplating device 2.

[0036] Because a nanoscale conductive material solution is coated on the electrode region 11 to be formed on the textile 1, the region acquires good conductivity, such as... Figure 7 As shown in the diagram; subsequently, this area was used as the cathode, and the textile 1 was placed in the electroplating apparatus 2 for electrolysis, as shown in the diagram. Figure 2 As shown, preferably, the cations in the electrolyte include cations of the plating metal element. Because the cathode has good conductivity, after a period of electroplating, a dense metal plating layer can be applied to the electrode region 11 to be formed. This metal plating layer can protect the conductive material adhering to the electrode region 11 and further improve the conductivity of the region. Figure 8 As shown in the image.

[0037] In a preferred embodiment that further ensures electrode conductivity, during the electroplating process of the region 11 to be formed as an electrode, the temperature of the electroplating solution is controlled so that it remains at a first set temperature for a first set time period after the start of electroplating and at a second set temperature for a second set time period before the end of electroplating, and the temperature of the electroplating solution is controlled to gradually rise between the two set time periods.

[0038] When the electroplating solution is at a relatively low first set temperature, the metal plating layer on the cathode forms slowly, while at a relatively high second set temperature, the metal plating layer forms quickly. Furthermore, since the conductive material solution is coated onto the electrode region 11, the conductive material can adhere uniformly to the textile fibers there. If the metal plating layer forms too quickly during electroplating, a large amount of reduced metal will accumulate at the ends of the textile fibers, preventing uniform coverage of each fiber and resulting in a electrode with poor conductivity. In summary, according to the scheme in this application, after electroplating begins, the electroplating solution is first maintained at a relatively low first set temperature. After a first set time, the surface of the textile fibers on the electrode area 11 to be formed is slowly and evenly covered with a metal plating layer. Then, the temperature is raised to a second set temperature by a heating device. After a second set time, the originally thin metal plating layer becomes thicker. This effectively covers the conductive material on the surface of the textile fibers on the electrode area 11 to be formed, ensuring its conductivity, and can also increase the conductivity to the set value in a short time, thereby ensuring production efficiency.

[0039] Preferred, such as Figure 3 As shown, the expression for electroplating temperature versus electroplating time is:

[0040]

[0041] Where T represents the electroplating temperature, t represents the electroplating time; T0 is the first set temperature, T1 is the second set temperature; e is a natural constant. The first set time is between t0 and t1, during which the electroplating solution is in a low-temperature holding phase. The second set time is between t2 and t3, during which the electroplating solution is in a high-temperature holding phase. The electroplating solution is in a temperature rise phase between t1 and t2. Using the above expression to control the electroplating solution temperature during this phase maximizes the conductivity of the electrode after electroplating. Experiments have verified that controlling both the first and second set times to 2.5 minutes, and the temperature rise phase time to 10 minutes, along with controlling the first set temperature at 30℃ and the second set temperature at 80℃, achieves the best results.

[0042] In a preferred embodiment that further ensures electrode conductivity, the method for forming the electrode region to be generated includes:

[0043] After the waterproof film used to cover the entire textile is cut, a first film 31 and a second film 32 are formed. The first film 31 is used to cover the electrode area 11 to be generated on the textile 1, and the second film 32 is used to cover the non-functional area 12 on the textile 1. An isolation area 13 is also formed between the electrode area 11 to be generated and the non-functional area 12.

[0044] The first film 31 is attached to the electrode region 11 to be generated on the textile 1;

[0045] The second film 32 is attached to the non-functional area 12 on the textile 1;

[0046] A hydrophobic material solution is applied to the isolation area 13 on the textile 1, and the isolation area 13 is dried.

[0047] Before applying the nanoscale conductive material solution to the electrode region 11 to be formed, the first thin film 31 is removed;

[0048] After electroplating of the electrode region 11 to be formed is completed, the second thin film 32 is removed.

[0049] In this solution, the entire waterproof film is first cut into a first film 31 for covering the electrode region 11 to be generated and a second film 32 for covering the non-functional region 12. Then, the two films are respectively applied to their respective regions, such as... Figure 4As shown, this creates an uncovered isolation region 13 between the two covered areas, allowing the hydrophobic material solution to be applied precisely onto the isolation region 13. After removing the first film 31 from the inner side of the isolation region 13, which was previously covered by the electrode region 11 to be formed, the exposed areas are the electrode region 11 to be formed and the isolation region 13. Since the isolation region 13, after being coated with the hydrophobic material and dried, possesses inherent water-repellent properties, the subsequent application of the nanoscale conductive material solution allows it to be applied precisely into the electrode region 11 to be formed. Figure 5 As shown in the diagram, the electrode produced by this method has better conductivity than the case where conductive material is mistakenly applied to the non-functional area 12 due to inaccurate coverage.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment that further ensures electrode conductivity, before bonding the first film 31 and the second film 32, an ethanol solution is sprayed onto the electrode region 11 and non-functional region 12 on the textile 1, wherein the concentration of the ethanol solution is greater than or equal to 95% and the temperature is 2°C-8°C; after bonding the first film 31 and the second film 32, the two are electrostatically bonded to the textile 1.

[0051] By spraying an ethanol solution onto the electrode region 11 and non-functional region 12 of the textile 1, the adhesion to the first film 31 and the second film 32 can be effectively enhanced. After the two films are attached to their respective positions, they are then fixed by electrostatic bonding, which further improves the firmness of the two films at their respective positions. The concentration of the ethanol solution is controlled above 95%, and the temperature is controlled within the range of 2℃-8℃, which can effectively prevent the large-scale evaporation of the ethanol solution after application from affecting the film adhesion. This, in turn, can prevent the influence of the non-functional region 12 when the conductive material solution is applied subsequently, resulting in more precise electrode positioning and better conductivity.

[0052] In a preferred embodiment that further ensures electrode conductivity, a gas with a humidity of less than 5% and a temperature of less than 10°C is used when drying the isolation region 13.

[0053] Drying the hydrophobic material solution on the isolation area 13 further ensures its waterproof performance, facilitating the accurate application of the conductive material solution to the electrode area 11 in subsequent steps. Prior to this, the second film 32 needs to be firmly attached to the non-functional area 12. Therefore, drying the isolation area 13 with a gas having a humidity of less than 5% and a temperature of less than 10°C effectively prevents the second film 32 from detaching due to the evaporation of the ethanol solution on the non-functional area 12. This ensures the accuracy of applying the conductive material solution to the electrode area 11 in subsequent steps, resulting in a more conductive electrode.

[0054] In a preferred embodiment that further ensures electrode conductivity, when removing the first thin film 31, a hot air gun with a diameter corresponding to the first thin film 31 is used, and the gas temperature generated by the hot air gun is 75°C-85°C.

[0055] like Figure 6 As shown, by heating the first film 31 using a hot air gun with a nozzle corresponding to the first film 31, the ethanol solution on the non-functional area 12 can be effectively prevented from evaporating due to the hot air generated by the hot air gun, thereby preventing the second film 32 from falling off. This ensures the accuracy of applying the conductive material solution to the electrode area 11 to be generated in subsequent steps. The generated electrode has better conductivity.

[0056] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and an explanation of the technical principles employed. Those skilled in the art should understand that the scope of the invention involved in this application is not limited to technical solutions formed by specific combinations of the above-described technical features, but should also cover other technical solutions formed by arbitrary combinations of the above-described technical features or their equivalents without departing from the inventive concept. For example, technical solutions formed by substituting the above features with (but not limited to) technical features with similar functions disclosed in this application.

Claims

1. A method of making a textile electrode, the method comprising: The application relates to a method for manufacturing a textile product with electrode area. The method comprises the following steps: Cutting a waterproof film for covering the whole textile product into a first film (31) and a second film (32), wherein the first film (31) is used for covering the electrode area (11) on the textile product (1), and the second film (32) is used for covering the non-functional area (12) on the textile product (1), and an isolation area (13) is formed between the electrode area (11) and the non-functional area (12); Attaching the first film (31) to the electrode area (11) on the textile product (1); Attaching the second film (32) to the non-functional area (12) on the textile product (1); Spraying a hydrophobic material solution on the isolation area (13) on the textile product (1), and drying the isolation area (13), so that the isolation area (13) has water-proof property; Before spraying the nanoscale conductive material solution on the electrode area (11), removing the first film (31); After the electroplating of the electrode area (11) is completed, removing the second film (32); During the electroplating of the electrode area (11), the temperature of the electroplating solution is controlled to be kept at a first set temperature within a first set time period after the electroplating is started, and kept at a second set temperature within a second set time period before the electroplating is completed, and the temperature of the electroplating solution is gradually increased between the two set time periods, so that the conductive material on the surface of the textile fiber of the electrode area (11) is effectively covered, the conductive property of the textile fiber is ensured, and the conductive property of the textile fiber is improved to a set value within a short time, thereby ensuring the production efficiency. Before the first film (31) and the second film (32) are attached, spraying an ethanol solution on the electrode area (11) and the non-functional area (12) on the textile product (1), wherein the concentration of the ethanol solution is greater than or equal to 95%, and the temperature is 2-8 DEG C; and after the first film (31) and the second film (32) are attached, the first film (31), the second film (32) and the textile product (1) are electrostatically attached. When the isolation area (13) is dried, a gas with humidity less than 5% and temperature less than 10 DEG C is used.

2. The textile electrode preparation method of claim 1, wherein, When the first film (31) is removed, a hot air gun with a caliber corresponding to the first film (31) is used, and the temperature of the gas generated by the hot air gun is 75-85 DEG C.

3. The textile electrode preparation method of claim 2, wherein, ​ 4. The textile electrode preparation method of claim 1, wherein, ​

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