Conductive cotton fabric fabricated using stable Ag/MXene colloidal solution and PDMS for heating and electromagnetic shielding

Cracking of conductive coatings is a primary cause of the poor durability of conductive fabrics. To address this, an Ag/MXene colloidal solution was prepared, which was stable owing to the evenly dispersed Ag particles on the MXene sheet structure. A cotton fabric sample was then coated with Ag/MXene using a dipping method, which resulted in excellent electrical conductivity. Finally, the Ag/MXene conductive coating on the polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-covered fabric significantly improved the conductive durability of the fabric. The finished cotton fabric exhibited excellent conductive properties, with a surface resistance of 13.9 ± 0.3 Ω/sq. In addition, the finished cotton fabric exhibited excellent mechanical durability against bending, folding, and strain. Therefore, finished cotton fabrics with excellent electrical conductivity and durability have great potential for application in wearable textiles and flexible sensors.