Polypyrrole-Coated Conductive Cotton Prepared by Laccase

Abstract

Conductive cotton fabric was prepared using laccase as catalytic agent, pyrrole as electric monomer and paratoluene sulfonic acid sodium salt as dopant. The electric resistance of the prepared conductive cotton fabric was 1.22 × 107 Ω compared to 3.11 × 1011 Ω of the original cotton fabric. The abrasion test indicated that polypyrrole was well integrated with the cotton fibers. The conductive cotton fabric also had good antistatic performance and good UV shield capability at 280–400 nm compared to the original cotton fabric. Moreover, the coating of polypyrrole improved the thermo-decomposition behavior of cotton fabrics. Nevertheless, the prepared conductive cotton fabric preserved the same breaking strength as the original cotton fabrics. Compared with original cotton, conductive cotton showed lower gas permeability.

Keywords

• conductive cotton
• fabric characterization
• fabric modification
• in situ polymerization
• laccase
• pyrrole