Washable heat-resistant and inkjet-printed devices on cotton fabric for wearable applications

Kyubin Bae, Bowoong Heo, Kyuhyun Hwang, Eunhwan Jo, Yunsung Kang, Soonjae Pyo and Jongbaeg Kim ()
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Kyubin Bae: The University of Texas at Austin
Bowoong Heo: Yonsei University
Kyuhyun Hwang: Yonsei University
Eunhwan Jo: Kumoh National Institute of Technology
Yunsung Kang: Kyungpook National University
Soonjae Pyo: Seoul National University of Science and Technology
Jongbaeg Kim: Yonsei University

Nature Communications, 2025, vol. 16, issue 1, 1-11

Abstract: Abstract Electronic textiles (e-textiles) face challenges in maintaining fabric properties and achieving high electrical conductivity with screen printing and particle-based inkjet printing. While particle-free reactive inks enable high-resolution patterning with sufficient electrical conductivity, their application on cellulose-based fibers is hindered by negatively charged surfaces. This study introduces inkjet-printed e-textiles using reactive silver ink and carbon nanotube ink on poly-L-lysine-coated cotton fabric. Carbon nanotubes establish a conductive network that promotes silver ion reduction, yielding densely packed nanoparticles with enhanced conductivity (1.25 × 10⁵ S m⁻¹). The resulting composite functions as a resistive tactile sensor with high sensitivity (6.02 kPa⁻¹) due to the hierarchical structure of cotton fabric. In addition, the inherent heat resistance of cotton facilitates its high-temperature resistance during heating. In this work, the fabricated e-textiles maintain performance through bending, ironing, and washing, inferring our printing technique as a promising strategy for wearable devices.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63636-3

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