Influence of coating parameters on textile and electrical properties of a poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)/polyurethane-coated textile

Textile coatings with electrical conductivity were obtained by the addition of poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) and ethylene glycol (EG) to a polyurethane (PU)-based coating formulation. Variations of the coating formulation, the coating amount and the drying conditions, as well as the absence of an annealing step, were investigated. The coated fabrics were evaluated for tear strength and bending rigidity as well as surface resistivity and appearance before and after Martindale abrasion. A high proportion of PEDOT:PSS dispersion in the formulation and the presence of EG provided low surface resistivity. This composition resulted in softer samples with higher tear strength than those containing more PU-binder. All coatings proved to withstand abrasion to a similar extent. The surface resistivity increased gradually with the abrasion, about one half order of magnitude, except for those coatings that had been subjected to a faster drying process, where the surface resistivity increased somewhat faster.