Transition of graphene oxide-coated fiber bundles from insulator to conductor by chemical reduction

• Fabrication of GO-coated fiber bundles via electrostatic deposition of GO sheets.
• Rapid change of the property of GO-coated fiber bundles upon chemical reduction.
• Electrical property shows different behavior compared with structural property.

We fabricate graphene oxide (GO)-coated fiber bundles via electrostatic deposition of GO sheets on polyester/cotton fiber bundles and investigate the changes in their properties by chemical reduction in a hydroiodic acid solution. The structural properties of GO sheets change rapidly upon exposure to reduction agents but remain under a high defect density regime after the reduction. The electrical resistance of the fiber bundles decreases logarithmically for the first minute of the reduction. In contrast to the structural property, a longer chemical reduction over tens of minutes deteriorates the electrical property. The effect of chemical reduction on the electrical conductance of GO-coated fiber bundles is discussed based on the competition of various factors, such as the number of conducting pathways and the carrier density, among others.

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