Conductive coatings for e-textiles via cyrene-based graphene resins

The flexible, lightweight, and sustainable conductive coatings play increasingly important roles for developing emerging smart textile systems. Graphene is an attractive material for these applications due to its exceptional electrical and mechanical properties, yet its practical use is often limited by dispersion instability, aggregation, and weak adhesion when applied as a single layer. In this work, we present a multifunctional dual layer coating strategy that addresses these challenges by integrating a mechanically robust poly(2-hydroxyethyl acrylate) organogel underlayer with a conductive graphene/Cyrene topcoat. The organogel is first deposited onto textile substrates, forming a mechanically reinforcing foundation. A second layer consisting of a surfactant free graphene dispersion in the bio-derived solvent Cyrene is then applied, enabling uniform film formation while preserving graphene's intrinsic conductivity. Beyond improving adhesion to textile, the organogel enhances durability and enables mold-based patterning, creating surface patterns that can subsequently be filled with conductive material. Overall, this architecture produces strong interfacial bonding and enhanced electrical performance compared to single layer coatings. Mechanical assessment shows that the organogel layer also increases tensile strength and suppresses fiber defibrillation, contributing to a more cohesive deformation profile. Environmental stability studies further highlight the advantages of the multilayer design: while unprotected graphene films lose conductivity and release particulates, the organogel-reinforced system exhibits no detectable release and maintains functional conductivity when paired with a hydrophobic barrier. Together, these results establish the graphene/Cyrene-organogel double layer system as a durable, patternable, and environmentally resilient platform for next generation wearable electronics and multifunctional e-textiles.