Regenerated Cellulose/Graphene Composite Fibers with Electroconductive Properties

Abstract

Conductive cellulose fibers may find application in producing antistatic materials and fibrous electronic elements for smart textiles (textronics). In this paper, we present a method of fabrication of cellulose fibers modified with the reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and graphene oxide (GO). The fibers were obtained by using N-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (NMMO) as a direct solvent, adding dispersion of GO during the cellulose dissolution process. In the next step, the GO enclosed in the fibers was reduced for ca. half an hour at 90°C with the excess of water solution of hydrazine to obtain fibers containing rGO. The viscosity of the spinning solution increased when GO was added; however, the difference is important at low shearing rates but decreases at high shearing rates, similar to that used in the process of fiber spinning. Cellulose fibers containing 3, 4, 6, and 10% w/w of rGO were obtained. Fiber morphology was studied using electron microscopy. The results of the electrical properties’ measurements showed that the conductivity of modified fibers strongly depends on the concentration of rGO. At 10% rGO conductivity was 9 x 10−3 S/cm. The mechanical properties of the obtained fibers were slightly changed by the presence of GO and rGO. Tenacity and elongation at break decreased with the increase in the content of GO and rGO in the fibers but remain at an acceptable level from the textiles processing point of view.

Keywords

• cellulose fibers
• graphene oxide
• reduced graphene oxide
• electroconductive fibers
• nmmo