Patterned conductive textiles
AssigneeMilliken & Company
InventorsAndrew D. Child, Alfred R. DeAngelis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A patterned conductive textile is provided by applying a finish to selected parts of a fabric which inhibits the formation of a conductive polymer coating on those areas. A conductive polymer is then oxidatively synthesized onto the remaining areas from an aqueous solution comprising the starting monomer, an oxidizing agent, and, optionally, a doping agent or counterion. The areas with the inhibitor finish remain substantially free of conductive polymer and a pattern of conductive and nonconductive areas is thus produced.
Claims21
An article with areas of unequal electrical conductivity comprising:
- (a) a substrate material selected from the group consisting of sheets, films and fabrics;
- (b) a first area on said fabric substrate material having a 0.05 to 2 microns thick, uniform and coherent coating of conductive polymer formed from the oxidative synthesis of said polymer from an aqueous composition, said first area having a resistance of less than 10.sup.6 ohms per square;
- and
- (c) a second area on said substrate material which is substantially free of said conductive polymer and which has been finished with a material which inhibits the deposition of said conductive polymer on said second area during oxidative synthesis of said conductive polymer from an aqueous composition.
A process for manufacturing an article with areas of unequal electrical conductivity comprising the steps of:
- (a) coating selected areas of a substrate material with a finish which inhibits the deposition of a conductive polymer onto said selected areas during oxidative synthesis of the conductive polymer from an aqueous composition;
- and
- (b) contacting said substrate material with an aqueous solution having an oxidatively polymerizable monomer, and an oxidizing agent capable of oxidizing said monomer to a polymer, and thereby depositing a 0.05 to 2 microns thick, uniform and coherent coating of said conductive polymer on areas of the substrate material not having the inhibitor finish while leaving the areas having the inhibitor finish substantially free of the conductive polymer, and said areas coated with said conductive polymer have a resistance of less than 10.sup.6 ohms per square.
An article with areas of unequal electrical conductivity comprising:
- (a) a substrate material selected from the group consisting of woven, non-woven and knitted fabric;
- (b) a first area on said substrate material having a coating of polypyrrole formed from the oxidative polymerization of pyrrole from an aqueous composition;
- and
- (c) a second area on said substrate material which is substantially free of said polypyrrole, and which has been finished with a material selected from the group consisting of fluorocarbons and silicones, which inhibits the deposition of said polypyrrole on said second area, during the oxidative polymerization of said pyrrole from said aqueous composition.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.