Electronic textiles (E-Textiles): types, fabrication methods, and recent strategies to overcome durability challenges (washability & flexibility).

The integration of electronics into textiles, commonly referred to electronic textiles (e-textiles), has sparked significant interest in recent years owing to their vast potential across diverse industries including healthcare, fashion, sports, and wearable technology. This review paper offers an extensive examination of the current landscape of e-textiles, focusing on their types, applications, conductive materials, and fabrication methods. Regarding fabrication methods, two primary approaches as main groups were introduced and are scrutinized in detail: (1) Fabricating/using conductive yarn/thread and inserting it into the textile using traditional textile techniques such as weaving, knitting, embroidery and so on. (2) Direct applying of conductive coatings onto existing textiles which include sub groups such as deposition techniques, wet coating techniques, printing techniques and in situ polymerization for integrated conductivity. Notably, this review not only elucidates these methodologies but also encapsulates the latest advancements in e-textile fabrication, serving as a vital resource for researchers and developers navigating this rapidly evolving domain. It also acknowledges the main challenges that need to be addressed to fabricate high efficent e-textile. These include ensuring durability with has direct relation with long-term washability and flexibility. Different strategies to improve durability such as using elastic substrates, stretchable conductive ink, improving adhesion between conductive layer and textile along with encapsulation of conductive layer on textile are discussed. By offering a comprehensive overview and highlighting recent innovations, this paper aims to propel further advancements in the realm of e-textiles, facilitating the realization of their full potential across various sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]