Atomic-Layer-Grown Pt on Textile Boosts Adsorption and Sensitivity of MXene Gel Inks for Wearable Electronics

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to grow platinum on textiles, improving the performance of MXene gel inks for wearable electronics.

Contribution

The study presents a novel low-temperature ALD method for Pt deposition on textiles, enhancing MXene gel ink performance.

Findings

Pt layers deposited via ALD increase surface oxygen groups and binding affinity on textiles.

Pt–MXene interfaces improve adsorption and electron/ion transport in MXene gel inks.

MXene/Pt@textile shows enhanced sensitivity and stability for motion and physiological sensing.

Abstract

The reliable integration of high-performance noble metal interfaces with flexible substrates is a key requirement for wearable electronics. However, achieving uniform, mechanically robust and functionally active coatings on fabric surfaces remains highly challenging. This study reports the atomic-layered-deposition (ALD) growth of platinum (Pt) on textile at low temperatures. Through ozone plasma-assisted activation technology, Pt nucleation can be achieved at 100 °C, forming a dense and defect-suppressed Pt layer that substantially increases the surface oxygen functional groups and enhances binding affinity. The resulting Pt layer also significantly enhances the adsorption behavior and sensing performance of Ti3C2Tx MXene gel inks on textile. At the atomic scale, the engineered Pt–MXene interface promotes stronger adsorption of MXene sheets and establishes efficient electron/ion transport pathways within the gel network. Ultimately, the conductive textile treated with Pt functionalized layers (MXene/Pt@textile) exhibits significantly enhanced sensing sensitivity and signal stability, enabling precise detection of human motions, pressure, and subtle physiological vibrations. The synergistic effect of ALD Pt layers and MXene gel inks creates a textile platform combining robustness, breathability, and high responsiveness.

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