Fabricating durable conductive coatings from PEDOT: PSS/Ag composite and PDA by sustainable ink-jet printing on cotton fabric

In this research, PEDOT: PSS/Ag composite was successfully prepared by in-situ oxidation method, and the preparation conditions were optimized by adjusting the amount of APS and PSS . By utilizing FT-IR, XPS, TEM and ζ potential tests, the structure of PEDOT: PSS/Ag composite was characterized. Subsequently, the composite was coated on cotton fabric substrates through ink-jet printing to fabricate conductive coatings. To enhance the adhesion durability of conductive coatings, different dopamine (DA) solutions were further sprayed onto the surface of conductive coatings, and UV irradiation was used to initiate DA polymerization into polydopamine (PDA). For demonstrating the binding performance of PDA, The effects of solution pH, DA concentration and UV irradiation time on the coating durability to wash, friction and light exposure were measured and compared. The results indicated that the good polymerization of PDA on cotton fabric could significantly enhance the durability of conductive coatings to various external stimuli.