New graphene-enabled method allows circuits to be printed on fabric

Scientists have found a new way of incorporating fully integrated circuits directly into fabric with the use of graphene.

A University of Cambridge team has demonstrated how this two-dimensional form of carbon can be directly printed on to a fabric surface to produce integrated electronic circuits that can be worn comfortably and survive up to 20 cycles in a typical washing machine.

The team has created low-boiling-point graphene inks that can be directly printed on polyester fabric using conventional inkjet techniques, with modifications to the roughness of the fabric improving the performance of the printed devices.

Current wearable devices rely on rigid electronic components mounted on plastic, rubber or textile, which can be uncomfortable and fragile, but this new method allows not only single transistors but all-printed integrated electronic circuits to be built into the fabric itself.

This has a range of potential applications, from the creation of health and wellbeing technology, to energy-harvesting systems, military garments and wearable computing tools.

Study author Dr Felice Torrisi, of the Cambridge Graphene Centre, said: "Thanks to nanotechnology, in the future our clothes could incorporate these textile-based electronics – such as displays or sensors – and become interactive."

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