Electrical properties of hydrophobic polyester and woven fabrics with conducting 3D network of multiwall carbon nanotubes

Abstract

The paper describes preparation and electrical properties of hybrid materials obtained from cotton or polyester woven fabrics that were modified with three-dimensional multiwall carbon nanotube networks deposited on fibers surface and additionally functionalized superhydrophobically. The effects of a degree of multiwall carbon nanotubes deposition on electric resistivity as well as on its temperature dependence, mechanical behavior and of additional hydrophobization, are presented. It is demonstrated that, similarly to cotton, polyester woven fabric can be successfully used to obtain material with superhydrophobic properties by treatment in a trichloromethylsilane solution, in an anhydrous environment. The obtained results demonstrated that – in contrast to cotton fabrics – surface area and water content in polyester fabrics have little influence on the hydrophobic properties of the obtained samples of modified polyester fabrics.