One of the major concerns in developing wearable textile electronics is their exposure to moisture and contamination, which can lead to electrical breakdown of the device and its interconnections. To address this, we have developed a highly conductive and waterproof fiber with excellent electrical conductivity (0.11 Ω/cm) and mechanical stability, ideal for advanced interconnector components in wearable textile electronics. The fabrication process involves coating a commercial Kevlar fiber with Ag nanoparticle–poly(styrene-block-butadiene-block-styrene) polymer composites, followed by treatment with self-assembled monolayer (SAM)-forming reagents to provide waterproof and self-cleaning properties. Among the various SAM-forming reagents tested, the fiber treated with 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluodecanethiol (PFDT) demonstrated superior waterproof and self-cleaning properties, as well as great sustainability in water with varying pH due to its nanoscale roughness and low surface energy. The conductive fiber maintained its functionality under mechanical compression and repeated washing and folding processes. This innovative fiber holds great promise for applications in underwater operations and textile electronics. – Journal cover design by scapiens
[Scientific Journal cover design] Low-Thermal-Budget Fluorite-Structure Ferroelectrics for Future Electronic Device Applications
In article number 2100028, Jiyoung Kim, Si Joon Kim, and their team review key factors involved in developing fluorite-structure ferroelectrics
