Preparation and characterization of stretchable PEDOT: PSS/EG/WPU fabric for wearable sensor applications / Ayu Natasha Ayub

It is a necessity to invent a tool that can help in health monitoring sensors especially in breathing mechanisms because of the third agenda of sustainable development goals (SDG), which is good health and wellbeing. The presence of conducting polymer opens a way to producing electroconductive and stretchable wearable sensors. Over the years, many reports on Poly(3,4ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS) as a wearable sensor have been published. It is due to its adjustable electrical conductivity, thermal stability, high optical transparency, low-cost monomer, light weight, and fast preparation. However, the low conductivity of pristine PEDOT: PSS became the main limitation. Therefore, this study focuses on improving the electrical conductivity of PEDOT: PSS by using ethylene glycol (EG) as a secondary dopant. Besides, PEDOT: PSS is still lack of stretchability and has poor adhesion when coating with fabric substrate. Following this, Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) was introduced as the polymeric additive that helps in the stretchability enhancement and improves the surface adhesion of PEDOT: PSS. The conductive fabric is produced by immersing the bare fabric into the mixture solution containing blended PEDOT: PSS, and WPU.