Conductive Polymer Yarn via Simultaneous Drawing and Axial Twisting

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current methods for manufacturing electrically conducting yarns by coating conductive materials on traditional insulating textile yarns result in low electrical conductivity due to the insulating material dominance, limiting their application in electronic textiles.

Innovation Solution

Direct fabrication of electrically-conductive yarns from intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber nonwovens and multifilament tows without additional materials, using methods like simultaneous drawing and axial twisting, and solvent compaction to enhance conductivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conductive material is coated on traditional insulating textile yarns, then the yarn structure is maintained and ease of manufacture is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates due to insulating material dominance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of manufactureVSAvoidelectrical conductivity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of coating conductive material on insulating yarns (conventional approach), the patent inverts the approach by using intrinsically conductive fibers as the base material and eliminating or minimizing insulating materials. This fundamental reversal enables high electrical conductivity while maintaining manufacturability through direct processing of conductive fiber nonwovens and tows.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of fiber conductivity by selecting intrinsically electrically-conducting fibers (such as metal fibers, carbon fibers, or conductive polymer fibers) instead of traditional insulating textile fibers. This parameter change enables the yarn to achieve high electrical conductivity (100-10000 S/cm) while maintaining structural integrity and ease of manufacture through standard textile processing techniques.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber nonwovens and multifilament tows are used directly, then electrical conductivity is improved to 100-10000 S/cm, but processing complexity increases due to simultaneous drawing and twisting requirements

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveelectrical conductivityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges two separate processing operations (drawing and twisting) into a single simultaneous operation. By combining these steps, the patent achieves the desired yarn structure with high electrical conductivity while simplifying the overall processing sequence, reducing the number of separate equipment modules required, and improving manufacturing efficiency despite the inherently complex nature of processing conductive fibers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The resulting yarns exhibit high electrical conductivity (100-10000 S/cm) and ionic conductivity, suitable for electronic textiles with lower internal resistance, improved signal-to-noise ratio, and reduced power consumption.

Implementation Method 1

wetting the starting material with a compacting solvent prior to the twisting

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectWetting: Wetting

Implementation Method 2

The compacting solvent may be selected from a group of solvents consisting of acetone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, toluene, hexane, xylene, dimethyl sulfoxide, N,N-dimethylformamide, N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, N,N-dimethylacetamide and mixtures thereof

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

simultaneously drawing and axially twisting a starting material selected from a group consisting of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber nonwovens and multifilament tows of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical deformation: Deformation

Implementation Method 4

extruding a dispersion of poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) polymer in a polar solvent through a spinneret into a coagulation bath of non-solvent to the PEDOT:PSS to produce PEDOT:PSS fibers

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPhase separation: Phase Change

Implementation Method 5

allowing the PEDOT:PSS fibers to accumulate in the coagulation bath where the PEDOT:PSS fibers entangle forming a mesh

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCoagulation: Coagulation

Data Source

PatentUS12378705B2Electrically-conducting polymer yarn and method of making same

Publication Date: 2025.08.05 UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY RESEARCH FOUNDATION

AI summary

A method for making electrically-conductive yarn includes simultaneously drawing and axially twisting a starting material selected from a group consisting of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber nonwovens and multifilament tows of intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber. The resulting yarn is a compacted, intrinsically electrically-conducting fiber material having an axial twist of between about 0.5 and about 60 degrees.