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Structural Design and Performance Research of a Knitted Flexible Sensor
Mi Zhou1, Yunyan Wang1, Weilai Chen1
1College of and Textile Science and Engineering, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou 310018, China.
ACS Omega
|July 5, 2022
Summary
This study developed smart knitting sensors using conductive yarns, finding that fabric structure significantly impacts conductivity and stability. The 1+1 fake rib stitch offered the best pre-wash stability, while the 2+2 stitch excelled post-wash.
Area of Science:
- Textile Engineering
- Materials Science
- Wearable Technology
Background:
- Smart textiles require integrated sensing capabilities.
- Conductive yarns are crucial for developing electronic textiles.
- Optimizing fabric structure is key to sensor performance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the structure-property relationships of smart knitting sensors.
- To evaluate the performance of conductive knitted fabrics with varying stitch types and yarn configurations.
- To determine the influence of fabric structure on conductivity and elastic recovery.
Main Methods:
- Knitting of fabrics using silver-plated and carbon black conductive yarns with different stitch types (1+1, 2+2, 2+1 fake rib).
- Plating technique used for yarn integration.
- Characterization of fabric properties including air permeability, elastic recovery, and electrical conductivity under various conditions (stretching, washing).
Main Results:
- All prepared knitted fabrics met air permeability standards and exhibited good elastic recovery.
- Conductivity increased with wale number when plated yarn count was constant; smaller plated yarn counts amplified this effect.
- Conductivity decreased with course number when wale number was constant; smaller wale numbers reduced this effect.
- Silver-plated yarn fabrics showed decreased conductivity upon stretching, with 100D being more stable than 70D.
- Carbon black conductive fabrics exhibited MΩ conductivity, with significant changes and dispersion upon stretching.
- Conductive stability was highest for 1+1 fake rib before washing and for 2+2 fake rib after washing.
Conclusions:
- Fabric structure, specifically stitch type and yarn arrangement, critically influences the electrical performance of smart knitting sensors.
- The choice of conductive yarn (silver-plated vs. carbon black) and its properties (e.g., denier) affect conductivity and stability.
- The 1+1 and 2+2 fake rib stitches demonstrate potential for different applications based on their conductive stability before and after washing.
