A green approach to prepare graphene-coated flexible and conductive cotton fabrics for motion sensing

Electrically conductive textiles have revolutionized wearable electronics, integrating them to create interactive and intelligent clothing. Graphene is an ideal candidate for increasing the electrical properties of textiles owing to its mechanical flexibility and high electrical conductivity. In this work, electrically conductive cotton fabrics were prepared through the dip-dry technique using a solution containing graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs), sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The sheet resistance of seven times coated cotton fabrics was ~ 1.9 (kΩ/sq), which showed their sensing capabilities. In addition, the flexibility and durability of the coated cotton fabrics were evaluated to certify their suitability for wearable applications using a cyclic test up to around 2300. Prepared conductive cotton fabrics were tested in four main body joints with different angles (45°, 90° and 120°), i.e. wrist, elbow, knee, and finger. The coated fabrics can detect mechanical actions such as bending/unbending, and stretching/relaxation as skin-mounted strain sensors.