Modelling Reliable Electrical Conductors for E-Textile Circuits on Polyimide Filaments

Abstract

The weaving of flexible electronic filaments directly into the body of textiles during manufacture represents the state-of-the-art process for integrating electronic functionality into fabrics in a manner that obscures the presence of the electronics from the wearer. The reliability of emerging prototypes under typical stresses from washing and bending is primarily dependent on the durability of the electrical conductors and on their interconnections with the electronic components attached to them on polyimide filaments. To improve the durability of these filaments, this paper uses the classical beam theory to investigate the material characteristics (thickness and elastic modulus) and suitability of different encapsulations such as polyimide, polyurethane, mylar, and PEEK films for limiting the mechanical stress on the electrical conductors.