Development of a Mussel-Inspired Conductive Graphene Coated Cotton Yarn for Wearable Sensors

Abstract

SUMMARYGraphene-based flexible yarn sensors have recently attracted significant research interest due to their exceptional conductivity and human-friendly properties. However, the primary challenge in this field is ensuring the adsorption of graphene on one-dimensional fibers to maintain excellent conductivity and high sensitivity while ensuring long-term durability. Herein, a flexible polydopamine (PDA)-modified cotton yarn, is produced through a simple dip-coating process using a custom-made Sodium Deoxycholate (SDC) -modified graphene dispersion, avoiding the employment of non-biodegradable, corrosion-prone metallic coatings. This results in an innovative sensor with relatively low electrical resistance (as low as 21.1Ω/cm), high bending sensitivity (with the rate of resistance change of 3.557 for bending range measurements from 40% to 100%), and outstanding durability (2000 cycles under flexural bending), capable of monitoring various human body movements and physiological states. The sensor can be integrated into wearable electronic textiles (e-textiles), enabling multiple applications including monitoring knee movements (walking, cycling, jogging, and jumping), recognizing hand gestures, and detecting thoracic respiratory status. The present study demonstrates the new sensor's considerable potential in personal and public healthcare applications.