Investigation of the Possibilities of Wool Fiber Surface Modification with Copper Selenide

A study of altering the conductive properties of wool fibers by applying copper selenide is presented. The researched modification of wool fibers was based on a two-stage adsorption-diffusion process. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy-dispersive X-ray spectrum, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were performed to evaluate the morphological and physical characteristics of all Cu_xSe-coated wool fibers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data showed a single, Cu_0.87Se (klockmannite), crystalline phase present, while Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) analyses showed that the concentrations of Cu and Se in copper selenide coatings depend on the number of wool fiber treatment cycles. It was determined that a dense layer of Cu_xSe grows through a nucleation mechanism followed by particle growth to fill out the complete surface. It was found that the conductivity of the coated wool fibers depends on the quality and density of the copper selenide coating, thus the resistance of electrically impermeable wool fibers can be reduced to 100 Ω by increasing the number of treatment cycles.