Abstract
This article reviews conductive fabrics made with the
conductive
polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS),
their fabrication techniques, and their applications. PEDOT:PSS has
attracted interest in smart textile technology due to its relatively
high electrical conductivity, water dispersibility, ease of manufacturing,
environmental stability, and commercial availability. Several methods
apply PEDOT:PSS to textiles. They include polymerization of the monomer,
coating, dyeing, and printing methods. In addition, several studies
have shown the conductivity of fabrics with the addition of PEDOT:PSS.
The electrical properties of conductive textiles with a certain sheet
resistance can be reduced by several orders of magnitude using PEDOT:PSS
and polar solvents as secondary dopants. In addition, several studies
have shown that the flexibility and durability of textiles coated
with PEDOT:PSS can be improved by creating a composite with other
polymers, such as polyurethane, which has high flexibility and extensibility.
This improvement is due to the stronger bonding of PEDOT:PSS to the
fabrics. Sensors, actuators, antennas, interconnectors, energy harvesting,
and storage devices have been developed with PEDOT:PSS-based conductive
fabrics.