A new approach to fabricate graphene electro-conductive networks on natural fibers by ultraviolet curing method

A new approach has been reported to reduce the graphene oxide (GO) onto the wool and cotton fibers to create electro-conductive networks by UV light. GO was fabricated on the surfaces of cotton and wool fabrics through the brushing and drying technique. The pH of the solution was adjusted to 4.50 before treating wool by GO. After GO coating both the fabrics were passed under UV curing chamber. After treatment GO converted to reduce graphene under the UV light and creates a conductive graphitic colored thin layer on the fabrics. Electrical conductivity is increased as the number of passes increased under UV curing. The surface resistivity of graphene coated cotton decreases from 331.0 to 100.80 k Omega/square and graphene coated wool shows a decrease from 139.50 to 45.0 k Omega/square.This is an easy, energy-saving and environmental friendly technique to produce the electrically conductive fabrics by graphene. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.