Clevertex - Grado Zero Espace Srl

Fig. 5 Sample of AmberStrand conductive coated yarn consisting of 3 strands under a millimeter scale [21]
X-Static TM by Sauquoit Industries is a nylon filament that has been permanently plated with silver
through an aqueous bath. Staple fibres in 3.8, 5.5 or 8.25 dtex are offered in lengths suitable for
blending with wool. X-Static TM continuous filament products are also available [22].
Thunderon TM (Nihon Sanmo Dyeing Co) fibres have a conductive layer of copper sulphide. The base
fibre may be acrylic or nylon. Thunderon TM acrylic fibre is available for blending with wool 3 denier 76
mm, 5 denier variable cut, 7 denier 76 mm or 7 denier 102 mm staple. A range of pre-dyed colours is
offered. A finer fibre is used in fine spun yarns and filament acrylic is also available. Thunderon TM
nylon is available as flat or textured filament nylon. Thunderon Super TM is acrylic filament, acrylic spun
yarn, or glass filament with higher conductivity than Thunderon TM [23].
Despite metal coatings, it is also possible to produce carbon microfibres that can be processed into a
conductive film.
Mitsubishi Materials Corp of Tokyo, Japan and Hyperion Catalysis International Inc of Cambridge,
Massachusetts, U.S., have developed such a hollow carbon microfibre, which can be processed into a
transparent electrically conductive film. Carbon fibres are made by thermal treatment of polymers such
as rayon, PAN (polyacrylonitrile) and aromatic aramides. As only a very small number of microfibres
per surface unit is needed, one has succeeded in keeping the film transparent. The suspension, into
which the microfibres are dispersed, can be coated on a substrate. When the film has dried, a
transparent electrically conductive coating is obtained [24].
2.1.2.2 Conductive fabrics
There are different ways to produce electrically conductive fabrics. One method is to integrate
conductive yarns in a textile structure, e.g. by weaving. However, the integration of conductive yarns in
a structure is a complex and seldom a uniform process as it needs to be ensured that the electrically
conductive fabric is comfortable to wear or soft in touch rather than hard and rigid. However, on the
other hand, woven fabric structures, for instance, can provide a complex network that can be used as
elaborated electrical circuits with numerous electrically conducting and non-conducting constituents,
and be structured to have multiple layers and spaces to accommodate electronic devices. Some
examples of woven conductive fabrics are listed below.
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