GRAPHENE & WEARABLES

Electroconductive denim was created through screen printing a related reduced Graphene Oxide ink on to the material substrate and by optimising baking and printing parameters.

Paper pending peer review at the Journal of Engineered Fibers and Fabrics.

Having worked on the team that brought you Google Jacquard, I realised set backs and hindrances in the first model release of the product. There was excess conductive material not being utilised, the use of incorporated yarns meant excessive and complicated pattern cutting, product aesthetics and finishings were held back by the presence of frangible yarns. These issues seemed so easily resolved by a simple change in application method, printing.

The new medium of Graphene seemed viable, all be it in the early stages of development, as a sustainable option to using Silver. It’s attainability through exfoliation of Graphite means a larger abundance of the material and, through screen printing, less is required.

Having optimised the printing and baking parameters used, I consistently produced samples producing resistance levels of ~0.126 MΩ ⋅3cm. Although using rGO has not proven to be as electrically conductive in this instance as opposed to the use of metals such as Copper and Silver, its development from this point can be progressed further.