Electronic textiles (e-textiles), known as a newly-developed innovation combining the textile and electronic technologies, are burgeoning as the next-generation of wearable electronics for lots of promising applications. However, a big concern is the durability of the e-textiles during practical using. Here, we describe a facile method to fabricate mechanically and electrically durable e-textiles by chemical deposition of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on widely used cotton fabric. The interface between AgNPs and fabric was tightly strengthened by the bioinspired polydopamine, and a highly waterproof and anticorrosive surface was further obtained by modifying with a fluorine containing agent of 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfuorodecanethiol (PFDT). In addition to the low sheet resistance of 0.26 ohm/sq and high conductivity of 233.4 S/cm, the e-textiles present outstanding stability to different mechanical deformations including ultrasonication, bending and machine washing. Moreover, thanks to the surface roughness of AgNPs and low surface energy of PFDT, a superhydrophobic surface, with a water contact angle of ca. 152^o, was further obtained, endowing the e-textiles excellent anti-corrosion to water, acid/alkaline solution and various liquids (e.g., milk, coffee and tea). Finally, the application of this highly conductive e-textiles in wearable thermal therapy is demonstrated. Together with the facile, all-solution-based, and environmentally friendly fabrication protocol, the e-textiles show great potential of large-scale applications in wearable electronics.

Flexible, wearable, and even stretchable sensors are the key components of smart electronic textiles. However, most reported flexible and wearable sensors for wearable electronics are usually fabricated in two-dimensional (2D) planar strip configurations, which cannot be properly integrated into textile structures and thus greatly degrade intrinsic properties such as the softness, flexibility, and air permeability of textiles and the aesthetic feeling of clothing. In this work, a new one-dimensional weavable strain sensing yarn consisting of an elastic polyurethane (PU) core, a conductive Ag-nanoparticles/graphene-microsheets composite sheath, and a silicone encapsulation layer was designed and fabricated through an easily manipulated protocol. Arising from the reasonable structural design and appropriate material selection, the as-fabricated strain sensor not only exhibited excellent flexibility, stretchability, and highly repeatable electromechanical stability (a repeatability error of 1.56%) but also possessed both high sensitivity (a gauge factor of nearly 500) and a relatively wide working range (0–50% applied strain) with good linearity (a correlation coefficient of 0.98). In addition, the facile, nearly all-solution-based fabrication protocol enabled the scalable production of long conductive yarns. Thus, the proper yarn length and superb mechanical properties endowed the stretchable conductive yarn with good weavability. The excellent wearability of the stretchable conductive yarn was derived from the outermost isolating, hydrophobic, and biocompatible silicone encapsulation layer. A wearable high-sensitivity strain sensing textile, fabricated by directly weaving the as-prepared yarn-based sensor, showed great potential for application to wearable textile sensors for real-time monitoring of human motions from vigorous walking to subtle and complex pronunciations.