Structural and electrical properties of conductive cotton fabrics coated with the composite polyaniline/carbon black

Herein we report the preparation and characterization of conductive cotton fabric prepared by drop casting the material with a composite of carbon black and polyaniline (an organic conductive polymer). A polar solvent, dimethylsulfoxide, was added to the composite to enhance its conductivity. The composite carbon black/polyaniline was coated on the surface of the fibers of the cotton fabric through a conventional dip and dry method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy were employed to characterize the complexes of carbon black/polyaniline and cotton fabric. The sheet resistance of the original cotton fabric was 3.57 x 10(12) abroken vertical bar/sq, but after coating with a composite of carbon black and polyaniline, the sheet resistance decreased to approximately 500 abroken vertical bar/sq. Moreover, the resistance of cotton conducting fabric as a function of temperature was investigated from 298 to 573A degrees K. The conductive cotton fabric was found to exhibit different behaviors including a metal-semiconductor transition.