High-performance textile electrodes for wearable electronics obtained by an improved in situ polymerization method

High-performance textile electrodes are promising electronic components that can meet the growing demand for wearable applications. In this study, woven and knitted fabrics, such as cotton, wool, silk, and polyester, were transformed into metal-free conducting electrodes by an improved in situ polymerization method. The method improved the conjugate length of the polypyrrole (PPy) molecule and doping levels and provided a thin and dense conductive polymer coating on the fabric surface. The sheet resistance of the resulting textile electrodes was less than 10 Omega sq(-1). The PPy-coated textile electrodes contained superior electrical conductivity, without compromising the textiles breathability, flexibility, and comfortability. The tensile strength and wet crease recovery angles of the fabric were significantly improved after the incorporation of PPy onto its surface. The textile electrodes were more stable to organic solvent washing than to water washing. Their conductivities were nearly unchanged after washing in dichloromethane with 20 laundering cycles. The high conductivity of the PPy coating provided textile electrodes with good electrical heating properties. The PPy-coated textile electrodes (knitted cotton) demonstrated the highest specific capacitance of 4848 mF cm(-2) at 1 mA cm(-2), good cycling stability, and excellent flexibility. This study provided a simple and effective method to transform a commercial textile into wearable electronic components.