CHED 448 |
| Copper layers and copper nanoparticles were conformally deposited onto cotton fibers and fabrics via electroless plating. Palladium nanoparticles were used as activators and nucleators for the electroless plating process. Palladium nanoparticles were deposited over the cotton substrates using electrostatic self-assembly. After deposition of the Pd nanoparticles, the activated fibers were immersed in a copper sulfate bath creating conformal metallic coatings. The resulting fibers were analyzed using SEM and TEM revealing spherical shapes on the surface of the fibers, as well as areas where copper plating occurred. Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of the Cu element. Electroless copper plating techniques are valuable because they do not rely on the substrate to be electrically charged, so plating can theoretically occur anywhere on the substrate. In addition, because no electrical charge is needed, a myriad of substrates with variations in shape and composition can be plated. The creation of conformal metallic coatings over cotton fibers opens a new avenue for the development of smart and interactive textiles. |
|
Undergraduate Research Poster Session: Nanotechnology
11:00 AM-1:00 PM, Monday, March 26, 2007 Hyatt Regency Chicago -- Riverside Center, Poster
Division of Chemical Education |