Electroconductive, antibacterial, and heat-protective properties of silk/polydopamine/Graphene composite

Graphene (Gr) is an excellent material for designing smart textiles due to its high electroconductivity and electronic properties. The critical issue is textile structure modification with GR. Graphene oxide (GO) is mainly used nowadays but it needs further reduction to Gr by harsh chemicals or high temperatures. These factors harmfully change textile properties; milder conditions cause only a partial reduction of GO. This report presents the direct modification of silk fabric (SF) with Gr using polydopamine for efficient Gr immobilization. After modification, SF reveals high electroconductivity. The percolation threshold is slightly higher for surface resistance measurements than for volume ones. The Gr conductive network is formed on the surface and significantly within the textile structure. The β-sheet dominant silk structure is not affected by the modification and remains stable. Gr-coated SF exhibits antimicrobial effects against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The presented modification of SF with Gr also results in heat dissipation, which is crucial for protecting future textile electronic tools applied to the human body. Due to the application of Gr, all the newly obtained properties: electroconductivity, antibacterial properties, and overheat protection can significantly expand silk composite's further utilization in various industry fields including designing wearable electronics.