High electric conducting 1D nanomaterial/polymer composite fibers for wearable biomedical sensing system

As a fundamental material for smart biomedical suit with multicomponent sensors and signal transmission, high electric conducting polymer fibers with excellent strain durability have gained extensive interesting for years. We have developed a robust protocol for the fabrication of high conducting 1D nanomaterial/polymer composite fibers. The silver nanowires (AgNWs) and single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were used as electric conducting elements. By using multiple coating procedure through coaxial nozzle, the 1D materials were uniformly enveloped on commercial polyamide 6 (PA6) fiber surface. The conductivity of the fibers and its stability under tensile strain were measured. It was found that AgNWs coated fiber has length resistance about 12 &OHgr;/cm and SWCNTs coated fiber has length resistance about 3600 &OHgr;/cm. Both fibers have excellent flexibility and strain stability, while the strain stability of SWCNT coated fiber is much higher that of AgNW coated fiber. The analysis indicates that the higher strain stability of SWCNTs coated fiber is attributed to the high tensile strength of carbon nanotube and mutual slip of cross covered network. The stable conductivity of both fibers enables them be used as wide varieties human wearable biomedical sensors and signal transmission lines compatible with textile technologies.