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Printed Nanocarbon Heaters for Stretchable Sport and Leisure Garments

Andrew Claypole, James Claypole, Neil Bezodis Orcid Logo, Liam Kilduff Orcid Logo, David Gethin Orcid Logo, Tim Claypole Orcid Logo

Materials, Volume: 15, Issue: 2, Start page: 573

Swansea University Authors: Andrew Claypole, James Claypole, Neil Bezodis Orcid Logo, Liam Kilduff Orcid Logo, David Gethin Orcid Logo, Tim Claypole Orcid Logo

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DOI (Published version): 10.3390/ma15020573

Abstract

The ability to maintain body temperature has been shown to bring about improvementsin sporting performance. However, current solutions are limited with regards to flexibility, heatinguniformity and robustness. An innovative screen-printed Nanocarbon heater is demonstrated whichis robust to bending,...

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Published in: Materials
ISSN: 1996-1944
Published: MDPI AG 2022
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa59178
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Abstract: The ability to maintain body temperature has been shown to bring about improvementsin sporting performance. However, current solutions are limited with regards to flexibility, heatinguniformity and robustness. An innovative screen-printed Nanocarbon heater is demonstrated whichis robust to bending, folding, tensile extensions of up to 20% and machine washing. This combinationof ink and substrate enables the heated garments to safely flex without impeding the wearer. It iscapable of producing uniform heating over a 15 × 4 cm area using a conductive ink based on a blendof Graphite Nanoplatelets and Carbon Black. This can be attributed to the low roughness of theconductive carbon coating, the uniform distribution and good interconnection of the carbon particles.The heaters have a low thermal inertia, producing a rapid temperature response at low voltages,reaching equilibrium temperatures within 120 s of being switched on. The heaters reached the 40 ◦Crequired for wearable heating applications within 20 s at 12 Volts. Screen printing was demonstratedto be an effective method of controlling the printed layer thickness with good interlayer adhesionand contact for multiple printed layers. This can be used to regulate their electrical properties andhence adjust the heater performance.
Keywords: Nanocarbon ink; printed heater; wearable; flexible; stretchable
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Funders: This research was funded by the Welsh Government SMART Expertise program funded by the European Regional Development Fund. Andrew Claypole also wishes to acknowledge the financial support of Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/l015099/1), M2A Doctoral Training Fund provided by European Social Fund and Haydale Graphene Industries.
Issue: 2
Start Page: 573