CNT/conducting polymer composite conductors impart high flexibility to textile electroluminescent devices

Bin Hu, University of Connecticut
Dapeng Li, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
Prakash Manandharm, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth
Qinguo Fan, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
Dayalan Kasilingam, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth
Paul D. Calvert, University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth

Document Type Journal Article

Hu, B., Li, D., Manandharm, P., Fan, Q., Kasilingam, D. and Calvert, P. (2012). CNT/conducting polymer composite conductors impart high flexibility to textile electroluminescent devices. Journal of Materials Chemistry, 22 1598-1605.

Abstract

Highly transparent polyethylene terephthalate (PET) mesh fabrics were dip coated with carbon nanotubes (CNT) followed by inkjet printing with poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to develop textile-based CNT/PEDOT:PSS composite conductors. These coated fabrics show a combination of conductivity, transparency and flexibility suitable for use in flexible displays. Sequential CNT and PEDOT:PSS coating greatly enhances the conductivity at high tensile strains without reducing the optical transparency. Electroluminescent (EL) devices using such textile-based CNT/PEDOT:PSS composite conductors as the front electrodes exhibit superior flexibility and mechanical robustness over their ITO-coated PET film-based counterparts under stretching and tight bending.