Work

Low-power monofilament-based semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotube solid-state electrolyte gated transistors for scalable woven electronics

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The development of high-performance and low-power active components directly integrated onto fibrous substrates is essential for the realization of next-generation wearable e-textiles. Here, we demonstrate high-performance monofilament fiber-based field-effect transistors (FETs) utilizing high-purity semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs) and solid-state electrolyte gate dielectrics. To overcome the challenges of patterning on curvilinear fiber surfaces, we developed a fine-thread shadow mask technique, enabling the precise definition of micro-scale channel gaps without complex photolithography. The s-SWcNTs, isolated via a selective conjugated polymer wrapping method, exhibited robust ambipolar transport and high purity, as confirmed by ultraviolet–visible–near infrared (UV–Vis–NIR) and Raman spectroscopy. By integrating a [EMIM][BF4]/PVDF-HFP ([EMIM][BF4] = 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate, PVDF = polyvinylidene fluoride, and HFP = hexafluoropropylene) solid-state electrolyte, the monofilament fiber-based FETs achieved ultra-low voltage operation (< 1 V) with high areal capacitance (> 1.05 µF·cm−2). The resulting fiber transistors exhibited a high hole mobility of 14.7 cm2·V−1·s−1 and a transconductance (gm/W) of 0.3 S·m−1. This synergistic approach combining textile-compatible fabrication and high-mobility nanomaterials provides a scalable pathway for energy-efficient and in-cloth signal processing and logic circuitry.

Source: Nano Research

DOI: 10.26599/nr.2026.94908702