Electrical Heating Performance of Electro-Conductive Para-aramid Knit Manufactured by Dip-Coating in a Graphene/Waterborne Polyurethane Composite

Abstract An electro-conductive para-aramid knit was manufactured by a dip-coating in a graphene/waterborne polyurethane(WPU) composite for confirming to use as a fabric heating element applicable to a protective clothing requiring durability. The para-aramid knit was dipped in 8 wt% graphene/WPU composite solution up to five-coat cycles. As a result of electro-conductive textile by number of dip-coating cycles, the electrical, and specifically electrical heating performances were increased number of cycles from one to five. The sample with the best electrical and electrical heating performance was the five-coat sample, and to improve those properties it was hot-pressed at 100 °C, 120 °C, 140 °C and 160 °C. After hot pressing, the entire surface of the sample was filled with graphene/WPU composite and indicated smoothly surface, thus the electrical and electrical heating performance was improved than the five-coat sample. The best performance of was indicated hot-pressed at 140 °C, with a surface resistivity and capacitance of 7.5 × 10 4 Ω/sq and 89.4 pF, respectively. When a voltage of 50 V was applied, the surface temperature reached 54.8 °C. The five-coat sample with hot-pressed at 140 °C could be applied to a heat-resistant para-aramid knit glove with the touch screen of a mobile phone and electric heating performance.