Electrical properties and fatigue resistance of polyamide 6,6 fabrics with nanocrystal silver coating

Nanocrystalline silver was coated on plain woven fabrics made from continuous polyamide multifilament yarns by sputtering technique. Electrical conductivity and abrasion resistances of the coating fabric were measured. There was a minimum value of resistance when the coating thickness varies. The critical coating thickness at the minimum resistance was found to be much greater than that necessary to form a continuous layer of coating on a single fabric. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), and field emission scanning electronic microscopy (FESEM) were employed to identify the contributing factors of dips between two adjacent parallel fibres and cross-over junction of the warp and weft yarns.