Transport Properties of Natural and Artificial Smart Fabrics Impregnated by Graphite Nanomaterial Stacks

Abstract

In this work, we studied the transport properties (thermal and electrical conductivity) of smart fabric materials treated with graphite nanomaterial stacks–acetone suspensions. An innovative and easy method to produce graphite nanomaterial stacks–acetone-based formulations, starting from a low-cost expandable graphite, is proposed. An original, economical, fast, and easy method to increase the thermal and electrical conductivity of textile materials was also employed for the first time. The proposed method allows the impregnation of smart fabric materials, avoiding pre-coating of the fibers, thus reducing costs and processing time, while obtaining a great increase in the transport properties. Two kinds of textiles, cotton and Lycra®, were selected as they represent the most used natural and artificial fabrics, respectively. The impact of the dimensions of the produced graphite nanomaterial stacks–acetone-based suspensions on both the uniformity of the treatment and the transport properties of the selected textile materials was accurately evaluated using several experimental techniques. An empirical relationship between the two transport properties was also successfully identified. Finally, several theoretical models were applied to predict the transport properties of the developed smart fabric materials, evidencing a good agreement with the experimental data.