Electroconductive Fabric Coating With Pretreatment for Stable Adhesion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional electroconductive fabrics face challenges with stability under environmental conditions such as humidity, temperature, and UV radiation, leading to impaired electrical characteristics over time and insufficient resistance to laundering.

Innovation Solution

A method involving a two-stage process: special pretreatment of the fabric substrate to enhance conductivity and stability, followed by a layer-by-layer deposition of conductive coatings using charged polymers and nanoparticles, ensuring strong adhesion and uniform conductivity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional electroconductive fabrics are used, then electrical conductivity is achieved, but stability under environmental conditions (humidity, temperature, UV radiation) deteriorates over time

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestability under environmental conditionsVSAvoidduration of electrical characteristics
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The fabric substrate undergoes special pretreatment before the main coating process. This preliminary action modifies the substrate surface to enhance subsequent coating adhesion and stability, ensuring the electroconductive properties remain stable under environmental conditions like humidity, temperature, and UV radiation over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses a composite coating structure with multiple layers including charged polymers and nanoparticles. This composite material approach combines different functional components to achieve both initial conductivity and long-term stability, where the interaction between layers provides enhanced durability against environmental factors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If conductive coatings are applied to fabric substrate, then electrical conductivity is improved, but adhesion strength may be insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveelectrical conductivityVSAvoidadhesion to substrate
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The fabric substrate undergoes special pretreatment before the main coating process. This preliminary action modifies the substrate surface to enhance subsequent coating adhesion, ensuring the electroconductive properties remain stable under environmental conditions like humidity, temperature, and UV radiation over time.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs intermediate layers or surface modifications that act as mediators between the fabric substrate and the conductive coating. This intermediary approach improves bonding compatibility between the substrate and coating materials, ensuring strong adhesion while maintaining electrical conductivity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 method results in electroconductive textile materials that maintain electrical characteristics, are stable to environmental conditions, and exhibit excellent adhesion to the substrate, making them suitable for electronics applications.

Implementation Method 1

special pretreatment of the fabric substrate to enhance conductivity and stability

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPretreatment:

Implementation Method 2

layer-by-layer deposition of conductive coatings using charged polymers and nanoparticles

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLayer-by-layer deposition: Electrostatic Deposition

Implementation Method 3

electroconductive textile materials that maintain electrical characteristics

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrical conduction: Conduction (electrical)

Data Source

PatentUS7468332B2Electroconductive woven and non-woven fabric
Publication Date: 2008.12.23 EEONYX CORP

AI summary

The invention relates to an electroconductive textile material and method of preparation thereof. The method consists mainly of two stages: 1) special pretreatment of the fabric substrate for activation and making it suitable for subsequent application and strong attachment of a conductive coating with the use of a layer-by-layer technique (LBL); 2) subsequent application and strong attachment of a conductive coating by means of a layer-by-layer technique. The first stage may be carried out thermally, thermochemically, by treating in hot solutions, or plasma-chemically by plasma treatment. The pre-treatment may be performed, e.g., for swelling and/or for the formation of unsaturated chemical bonds or uncompensated charges in the fabric material. The pretreatment is needed to ensure more efficient penetration of chemical components into the fabric structure during subsequent LBL applications of treatment solutions that contain nano-particles and that determine the density of the molecular layer. The types and amounts of the nano-particles determine their charge density (solution pH is very important for charge density) in the sublayer. Such a pretreatment increases bonds of the applied layers with the substrate material.