Electro-conductive sensors and heating elements based on conductive polymer composites

Purpose The need for sensors and actuators is an important issue in the field of smart textiles and garments. Important developments in sensing and heating textile elements consist in using non-metallic yarns, for instance carbon containing fibres, directly in the textile fabric. Another solution is to use electro-conductive materials based on conductive polymer composites (CPCs) containing carbon or metallic particles. The purpose of this paper is to describe research based on the use of a carbon black polymer composite to design two electro-conductive elements: a strain sensor and a textile heating element. Design/methodology/approach The composite is applied as a coating consisting of a solvent, a thermoplastic elastomer, and conductive carbon black nanoparticles. In both applications, the integration of the electrical wires for the voltage supply or signal recording is as discreet as possible. Findings The CPC materials constitute a well-adapted solution for textile structures: they are very flexible, and thus do not modify the mechanical characteristics and general properties of the textile structure. Research limitations/implications In the case of the heating element, the use of metallic yarns as electrodes makes the final structure a more rigid. This can be improved by choosing other conducting yarns that are more flexible, or by developing knitted structures instead of woven fabrics. Practical implications The CPC provide a low cost solution, and the elements are usually designed so as to work with a low voltage supply. Originality/value The CPC has been prepared with a solvent process which is especially adapted to flexible materials like textiles. This is original in comparison to the conventional melt-mixing process usually found in literature.