Oxidative in situ deposition of conductive PEDOT:PTSA on textile substrates and their application as textile heating element

Conductive organic polymers are outstanding materials with exciting properties. Besides several other applications – especially in the field of high-performance electric devices and photovoltaic technology – they can be used for the creation of conductive textile materials. Commercial dispersions of such polymers can be applied to textile constructions in a downstream coating process leading to poor add-ons and relatively low conductivity. In contrast, the authors have developed strategies to deposit conductive polymers by an oxidative in situ polymerization directly on the textile surface. Here, poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) p-toluenesulfonic acid (PEDOT:PTSA) was durably immobilized on a textile polyester fleece following this new approach. The extremely high achievable add-ons lead to extraordinary high-conductive textiles with surface resistances down to 10 Ω/sq. Such a way finished textiles can be used as high-performance textile heating elements. For example, by applying a standard voltage of 24 V temperatures up to 170 °C are practicable. Moreover, the desired temperature is easily adjustable by the absolute load and the applied voltage. These conductive textiles can be used, e.g., in carpets, electric blankets or automotive seat heaters.

► Intrinsically conducting polymers are useful for the production of conductive textiles.
► Our optimized in situ polymerization of PEDOT:PTSA leads to high-conductive textiles.
► The surface resistance of our optimized textiles is in the range of 10 Ω/sq.
► By using such textiles as flexible heating elements we achieve temperatures up to 170 °C.
► The simple coating process is easily transferable to industrial scale.