Interfacial stress transfer in graphene-based polymeric inks on a textile surface for long term cycling stability

Abstract

The viscosity of graphene-based conducting ink has been shown to significantly affect printed geometries, and it has been illustrated that it can be controlled by adjusting the crosslinking density. A porous substrate, such as a textile surface, has been selected for printing to emphasize the structure formation of nanofillers during cyclic bending. The graphene loading in the elastomer matrix was deliberately chosen beyond the percolation threshold to gain insight into the conducting network channels on the fabric substrate. Structure–property analysis revealed the formation of stable conducting geometries of graphene on textile yarns under cyclic stress. The processing parameters have been found to play a crucial role in fabricating a tightly packed, conducting ink-filled textile substrate, which reorganizes the structural integrity of the flexible film by application of stress. The flexibility of graphene flakes is found to be critical as it allows them to conform to the fabric's surface for enhanced wetting and to minimize the stress concentration. The composition of fabric materials plays an important role in enhancing adhesion with conducting layers, thus contributing to the overall resistance stability. Formulation and processing of graphene-based inks have been optimized to achieve consistent deposition of flexible conductive ink on textile surfaces capable of enduring bending stress, making it ideal for the next generation of wearable electronics applications.