Experimental feasibility investigation on wearability of cloth-type electronic devices composed of functional polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) fibers

In the fabrication of fabric-type electronic devices, especially mobile wearable devices, various electrical functions such as sensing, actuation, and energy harvesting can be realized using complex fibrous electrical components and the associated techniques such as weaving and wiring. This study introduces a hybrid cloth-type electronic device composed of PVDF and ordinary fiber yarns. Moreover, experimental protocols for evaluating the electrical performances of cloth-type electronic devices are used to check the feasibility of the proposed wearable electronic device. The magnitude of the generated voltage signal depending on the weaving pattern and types of functional fibers under impact loading were experimentally investigated, and the most appropriate weaving pattern was suggested. To check the serviceability of the proposed cloth-type wearable device, its performance was tested under various hygrothermal environmental conditions. After conducting several electro-mechanical tests and a washing test, the proposed hybrid cloth-type electronic device was found to have adequate potential for use in self-powered wearable electronic devices.