pH-responsive and antibacterial PANI-PEDOT:PSS fibres for wearable applications

Abstract

With the emergence of wearable electronics for health and the prevalence of chronic wounds, there is demand for an effective wearable pH sensor. A simple method of solvent treating wet-spun poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) fibres proved effective in the development of highly conductive fibre substrates. With an optimised polyaniline coating, these fibres displayed a Nernstian response to changes in pH in the solid-state vs. a fabricated pseudoreference electrode across a wide pH range of 3.0 to 9.0. In addition, these biocompatible fibre electrodes displayed antibacterial properties. The fibre electrodes offer significant opportunities for future wearable textile-based sensors as well as the realisation of a real-time, on-body pH sensing device for monitoring skin and wound healing.