Date of Completion

12-18-2014

Embargo Period

12-18-2015

Keywords

PEDOT:PSS, Fabric, Resistive Heating, Joule Heating, Electrochromic, PET, Spandex, Nylon

Major Advisor

Gregory Sotzing

Associate Advisor

Douglas Adamson

Associate Advisor

Anson Ma

Associate Advisor

Montgomery Shaw

Associate Advisor

Puxian Gao

Field of Study

Materials Science

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy

Open Access

Open Access

Abstract

Conductive fabrics have the potential to transform the textile industry with technological innovations that include self-warming clothing, adaptive camouflage, and biomimetics. Further understanding of the construction and properties of conductive fabric may one day realize the full potential of these applications. Herein, a poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) synthetic leather substrate was treated with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and was found to exhibit low sheet resistance and high thermal stability. A study that measured the resistance versus the concentration of conductive material found that saturation was achieved after the addition of only 1 wt. % doped PEDOT:PSS. The treated PET reached sheet resistances as low as 2 Ω/sq. and was capable of resistive heating, and reached a maximum temperature of 150°C in less than two minutes when a 5 V potential was applied. Additionally, the fabric was soaked in water and resistively heated, self-drying in approximately 8 minutes. In another series of experiments, a stretchable electrochromic fabric device (EFD) was demonstrated by utilizing an oligomeric urethane/ionic liquid electrolyte system. This EFD was capable of 50% deformation while still retaining its ability to change color upon the application of a potential difference. The electrochromic material used was a soluble alkylsilane-containing precursor polymer that was spray-coated onto the conductive fabric substrates, and was oxidatively converted chemically with a solution of FeCl3. All of the work contained within were proof of concept experiments that may one day help realize the commercialization in such applications.

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