Fabrication and Characterizations of Heating Fabric with Silver Nanowire Network

Abstract

Cotton, a natural fiber known for the excellent breathability, insulation properties, and absorbency, is used as a substrate in this study. Electrical properties were imparted to cotton through a dip-and-dry process employing silver nanowires, which exhibit high electrical and thermal conductivity. The investigation examined variations in thermal and electrical characteristics based on concentration and the number of dip-and-dry cycles. As the cycle count increased and the concentration of Ag nanowires rose, a noticeable decrease in specimen resistance was observed. When an external voltage was applied, the current-voltage relation was shown to be linear indicating the structure follow the ohm’s law. Further, in line with the Joule heating mechanism, temperature increased proportionally with higher applied voltages, confirming the relationship between heating temperature and current. To assess the stability and reproducibility, voltage application and removal were repeatedly executed, which resulted in temperature deviations within ±2°C of the average temperature. Uniform heating characteristics were consistently observed, even when the specimen was heated on curved surfaces, such as a person's shoulder.