Flexible, Patternable Graphene/CNT-Coated Heaters with Nylon/Clay Lamination and Strong Adhesion
摘要
Wearable heaters are commonly used in personal thermotherapy, vehicle seat heaters, defrosting, defoggers, smart windows, and winter sportswear. Due to their superior electrical and mechanical properties, graphene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising candidates for Joule heating materials in flexible electronic devices. However, polymeric binders are typically required to adhere these nanomaterials to the substrate, which often compromises overall heating performance. In this study, a hydrogel-type HS-1 binder was used with graphene/CNT to achieve strong adhesion between the active materials and the substrate while maintaining good heating properties. For example, graphene/CNT heaters with and without the hydrogel-type HS-1 binder produced resistance values of 20 and 16 Ω, respectively, and reached maximum temperatures of 310 and 360 °C at a supplied voltage of Va = 21 V. In addition, the heater was spray-coated with clay and nylon-6 to electrically insulate it, yielding resistances greater than 108 Ω. The purpose of this clay and nylon-6 lamination was to prevent electrical leakage from the heater to surrounding objects. In addition, long-term cyclic and bending tests further confirmed the mechanical resilience and stability of the flexible heater.