Gauging performance of biosynthesized silver nanoparticles loaded polypropylene nonwoven based textile electrodes for 3-lead health monitoring electro cardiogram on analogous system

Abstract

This work reports the engineering of textile electrodes, considered safe for humans even if worn next to skin for a longer time. Obliging this phenomenon conductive Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were biosynthesized from Silver Sulphate (Ag2SO4) and medicinal values enriched Ocimum Sanctum (Tulsi)leaves extract. These conductive Silver nanoparticles were loaded by spray technique on polypropylene nonwoven fabric having inbuilt antifungal characteristics, to reduce its resistivity (10Ω) for the fabrication of textile electrodes. The adequate skin-electrode impedance values were observed for the fabricated textile electrodes, viz; 1.44 MΩ–1.83 MΩ and 1.01 MΩ–1.18 MΩ, in the dry and wet state respectively. The 3-lead health monitoring electrocardiograms (ECG) were obtained on the Analogous system with the textile electrodes; dry and wet state as well as gel electrodes. The cardiograms were also taken at a smaller triangle than usual, only for the high resistance textile electrodes. The wet electrodes have executed considerably better clarity of PQR wavelets than reference gel electrodes ECG plots, and their performance was found consistent when tested after six months’ time leap. However, higher motion artifacts caused in the case of dry electrodes have resulted in distorted PQR wavelets and the tracing became worsen with increased testing time leap. This was mainly due to the encapsulation of conductive AgNPs in the air voids of the fabric, increased resistivity. The cardiogram quality has not shown peculiar benefit for a higher heart pumping pressure at the smaller triangle in either of the cases.