A prime synergistic BC@PPy flexible conductive matrix proposed candidate for boosting the breakthrough in smart e-textiles power supplies

Flexible membranes by cooperating with conductive polypyrrole (PPy) have attracted considerable attention as a loading-matrix in wearable technology like energy storage devices. However, factors such as the pyrrole concentration, polymerization time and synthesis process have a direct effect on various properties which limits its use as a conductive matrix. Kombucha-derived bacterial cellulose (BC) was successfully prepared and efficient polymerization of pyrrole on BC papers was performed by in situ and dip-drying processes. By optimizing parameters, the highly conductive paper with improved flexible, thermal, porous, electrical and mechanical properties emerged. Among all the BC@PPy and BC/PPy papers, BC@PPy-3 paper with in situ synthesis process at appropriate PPy concentration and polymerization time, delivered satisfactory modulus (1.98 GPa), tensile strength (98.5 MPa) and strain (6.9%). The BC@PPy-3 exhibited a higher conductivity (2.31 S m-1) compared to BC/PPy and dip-drying BC_PPy papers due to better packed PPy structure. With these synthesis parameters, the BC@PPy-3 paper showed high thermal stability with a loading capacity of about 48.5% which clearly indicated the well-packed PPy-structured BC paper. BC@PPy-3 flexible paper was found to have desirable properties that could be used as a loading matrix that would accommodate the secondary materials for loading as well as maintain a stable conduction path.