Flexible conductive copper/reduced graphene oxide coated PBO fibers modified with poly(dopamine)

Nowadays, flexible fiber heater has attracted great interests. Here, we fabricated a copper/reduced graphene oxide (Cu/RGO) hybrids coating on the surface of poly(p-phenylene benzobisoxazole) (PBO) fiber with excellent tensile strength, high thermal stability and high flame retardancy for electrothermal heater. Copper was plated on the surface of PBO fibers by the modification of the PBO fibers with poly(dopamine) followed by RGO activation and electroless copper plating and copper coated PBO fibers (Cu/RGO-PBO) is obtained. Poly(dopamine) and RGO acted as synergistic activating agents for electroless copper plating. Cu/RGO-PBO fibers exhibit low electrical resistance of 0.16 Ω cm ⁻¹ and possess excellent electrical conductivity even after 20 cycles of washing. The heating temperature of Cu/RGO-PBO fibers is steady at around 44 °C which is suitable for keeping body warm. Additionally, Cu/RGO-PBO fibers reveal a low corrosion current density of 2.46 μA cm ⁻² . The result indicates flexible Cu/RGO-PBO fibers with excellent electrical conductivity, heating performance and corrosion resistance, which could be used as flexible electrically conductive fiber and wearable heater with corrosion resistance.