Study on green processing and microstructure property of conductive cotton threads based on 3D printing

Abstract

This study proposes a direct-writing deposition system that, compared to traditional electroless plating, enables the localized and programmable deposition of a copper salt solution onto the surface of cotton yarn, thereby achieving precise control over deposition parameters while reducing solution consumption compared to traditional electroless plating. This provides a new technical approach for the environmentally friendly processing of conductive cotton yarn. In the experiments, the deposition head travel speed (25, 50, 75 mm/min) and deposition temperature (40, 60 °C) were selected as variable parameters to deposit Cu film on the surface of the cotton yarn. Using scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), bending test, and corrosion resistance testing, the study systematically investigated the microstructure, crystal structure, elemental composition, adhesion to the cotton yarn, and corrosion resistance of the Cu film. The results show that the Cu film prepared at 60 °C and a speed of 25 mm/min exhibits superior electrical conductivity compared to the other samples. This study provides novel insights into the fabrication of conductive materials for flexible electronics applications.