Conformal graphene coatings on ordinary fabrics for wearable electronic devices.

Chen, Zibo; Si, Yunfa; Liao, Xiaobin; Fang, Rui; Li, Zhen; Tan, Weimingyang; Wang, Sichang; Ji, Yongyi et al. · Nat Commun · 2026

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Dip-coating ordinary fabrics with conductive macromolecules holds promise for mass-production of next-generation wearable electronics but faces an interaction dilemma in high-entangled fabrics: weak interactions for uniform penetration versus strong for stable coating. Herein, we present a temporal decoupling strategy, designing stage-specific interaction strengths to achieve uniform graphene oxide penetration and robust reduced graphene oxide adhesion. Using the triphilic surfactant Triton X-100 as a representative system, this strategy enables the fabrication of fabrics with conductivity (283.1 S m<sup>-1</sup>) and comprehensive wearability (hydrophilicity, air permeability, washability, bacteriostasis, and biocompatibility) over 200-meter roll. This combination of conductivity and production scale outperforms current competitors by over 100-fold, with over 10-time-lower cost (0.4 US$ m<sup>-2</sup>). This strategy is universally applicable to various ordinary fabrics and enables multifunctional applications, including electromagnetic interference shielding and Joule heating. Our work offers a scalable, universal and low-cost methodology for fabric-based wearable electronics with immediate potential for industrial adoption.