MXene Coated Yarns And Textiles For Functional Fabric Devices

Smart overview of the Invention

The patent application describes innovative textiles that incorporate MXene-coated fibers and yarns, resulting in conductive and electroactive materials. These textiles exhibit excellent mechanical and electrical properties, making them suitable for integration into various devices and applications. The focus is on creating functional fabric devices that can be used in a wide range of technologies, including energy storage, sensing, actuation, and communication.

Technical Background

The field of wearable electronics is rapidly evolving, with a growing interest in textile-based solutions. Traditional wearables often rely on bulky batteries, which can be uncomfortable and limit design flexibility. This invention addresses these challenges by introducing flexible, electrochemically active yarns that can be seamlessly integrated into fabrics, offering scalable production possibilities for textile-based devices.

Innovative Methods

The invention outlines a dip-coating process using MXene particulates to coat fibers and yarns. This method is designed to enhance conductivity and durability, with the ability to tailor the concentration and flake size of MXene dispersions to meet specific application requirements. The coated yarns are versatile, suitable for various smart textile applications such as sensors, supercapacitors, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding textiles.

Applications and Performance

MXene-coated yarns demonstrate significant potential in smart textile applications. For example, small MXene flakes enhance sensitivity in pressure sensors, while large flakes improve conductivity for EMI shielding. A combination of flake sizes maximizes MXene loading, beneficial for supercapacitors. The coated yarns show excellent electrochemical performance, with MXene-coated cotton yarns achieving high specific capacitance in supercapacitors.

Durability and Industrial Application

The MXene-coated yarns exhibit durability, withstanding high washing temperatures and prolonged exposure to aqueous environments. Industrial production of textiles from these yarns has been demonstrated. As a proof of concept, MXene-coated bamboo yarns were used to create a pressure sensor, showcasing high stability and linearity. This technology allows for the production of conductive textile devices using conventional knitting machines without additional conductive components.